CAMBRIA - On a night dedicated to honoring the past, Cambria-Friesland's football team took a big step toward the future.

The previously winless Hilltoppers totaled a season-high 380 yards and senior running back Wayne Bontrager scored three times to lead Cambria-Friesland to a 43-16 Homecoming win Friday over Fall River.

The game on the field was only half the story, however.

Before the game Cambria-Friesland coach Jim Bylsma honored Ryan Jones - 2005 graduate and standout football player who died in a Jan. 15 auto accident - by retiring the No. 33 that Jones wore during games. It marks the first time Cambria-Friesland has retired a jersey number. The pregame ceremony lasted roughly 10 minutes and included Jones' family, members of the Cambria Volunteer Fire Department and Cambria Community Ambulance Service that Jones worked with as well as former classmates.

Along with the excitement of picking up its first win of the season on Homecoming, Bylsma said winning on a night dedicated to honoring Jones was perfect.

"That makes it all the more special because when Ryan played we didn't lose that many ballgames," Byslma said. "So it makes more special that we were able to honor him by retiring his jersey and getting a win."

The game was never really in question.

The Toppers (1-5, 1-3 Trailways Small) scored on their first four possessions and only allowed Fall River past the 50-yard line once in the first half. Cambria-Friesland held a 35-0 lead at halftime and the game played with a running clock for all but one minute of the second half.

"We told our kids, as happy as we were for the win, we're a little bit disappointed that we hadn't started playing like this earlier in the season," Bylsma said. "We finally put some offensive drives together, we didn't shoot ourselves in the foot penalty and fumble-wise. We wished we would've clicked a little earlier but we'll take the win."

Bontrager did most of the damage, scoring a career-high three touchdowns and rushing for 141 yards on 10 carries. On his third carry of the game Bontrager broke through the line and out-ran the Pirates' defense for a 30-yard scamper that capped the Toppers' six-play, 63-yard opening drive.

Cambria-Friesland forced Fall River's offense into a three-and-out on its first possession and Bontrager returned the punt down to the Pirates' 34-yard line. On the very next play Bontrager took a carry up the middle, broke a pair of tackles and again out-ran the Pirates' defense to give the Toppers a 14-0 lead.

The Hilltoppers put it away on their next drive when senior quarterback Mitchell Katze found senior tight end Drake Klatt on a 10-yard out. Klatt evaded a tackler, tip-toed along the sideline and sprinted for a 60-yard touchdown reception.

Senior running back John Gutzman gave Cambria-Friesland its fourth score in as many chances midway through the second quarter when he plunged in from four yards out.

Gutzman added a 14-yard touchdown run right before halftime and Bontrager scored his third touchdown on a 3-yard run late in the third quarter.

As impressive as its offense was, Cambria-Friesland's defense was equally as impressive. Fall River (1-5, 1-3) totaled 194 yards in the game, but a vast majority came late in the game with many of the Toppers' starters pulled. The Hilltoppers' defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and Ryan Lehman, Gus Zavala, David Rocha and Klatt each contributed on sacks.

"We finally decided that we needed to step up," said Bontrager of the Toppers' first win, adding that the pre-game ceremony to honor Jones was important to him and the team.

"It means a lot and I'm sure it means a lot to his parents," Bontrager said. "I'm glad that we could do it for everyone in the community as well as ourselves."

CAMBRIA-FRIESLAND 43, FALL RIVER 16

Fall River...................... 0 0 0 16 - 16

Cambria-Friesland...... 21 14 8 0 - 43

CF - Bontrager 30 run (Klatt kick), 1st 09:23

CF - Bontrager 34 run (Klatt kick), 1st 06:58

CF - Klatt 60 pass from Katze (Klatt kick), 1st 01:42

CF - Gutzman 4 run (pass failed), 2nd 09:56

CF - Gutzman 14 run (Bontrager run), 2nd 00:51

CF - Bontrager 3 run (Gutzman pass from Katze), 3rd 01:08

FR - Fauser 43 run (Fauser pass from Patrick), 4th 11:45

FR - Fauser 24 run (Oelke run), 4th 01:00

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs - FR 8, CF 12. Total Net Yards - FR 194, CF 380. Rushes-yards - FR 34-140, CF 32-282. Passing - FR 54, CF 98. Comp-Att-Int - FR 6-12-1, CF 3-6-1. Penalties-Yards - FR 1-5, CF 4-35. Fumbles-Lost - FR 4-1, CF 3-0.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: FR - Fauser 17-119. CF - Bontrager 10-141. PASSING: FR - Patrick 6-12-1-54. CF - Katze 3-6-1-98. RECEIVING: FR - Rabl 2-28. CA - Klatt 1-60.

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