LYMAN — Looking to rebound after last week’s humbling loss to Mountain View, the Kemmerer High School football team returned to the Bridger Valley Friday, beating the Lyman Eagles in a nailbiter, 26-22.

It was the Rangers’ first win over Lyman since 2018, and put a damper on the Eagles’ Homecoming festivities. Kemmerer improved to 3-2 on the season, 2-2 in the 2A West.

“It was entertaining, for sure,” said KHS head coach Bart Jernigan. “I’m glad we came out on top, but it was definitely nerve-wracking. I was proud of how our kids competed — we did a good job of battling back. I didn’t think we played the cleanest game, but overall, I thought the kids did a great job, showed a lot of grit and heart.”

After trading punts to start the game, the Rangers got on the board first late in the first quarter, a 5-yard touchdown run by Cole Rogers, set up by a 40-yard run by Logan Emery. The PAT was blocked, and Kemmerer led 6-0, with just over four minutes to play in the first quarter.

Lyman (1-5, 0-4 in 2A West) answered on the ensuing drive, with Cal France scoring on an 11-yard run early in the second quarter. The two-point conversion was stopped by the Rangers, and the game was back to even at 6-6.

Forced to punt from deep in their own territory on their next drive, the Rangers’ Bridger Anderson lost the handle on the snap and was tackled on the Kemmerer 4-yard line, giving the Eagles 1st and goal. The home team took their first lead of the contest on a Jevin Maxfield quarterback keeper; Ben Bluemel scored on the two-point conversion, and Lyman led 14-6, with nine minutes to play in the half.

“Lyman’s a good team — I know their record isn’t stellar right now, but they’re a decent team, and they have a lot of talent, kids who have been on state title teams,” Jernigan said. “These kids have played at a high level.”

The Rangers responded on their very next drive. Facing a 3rd-and-12 from midfield, quarterback Kyle Fox hit Anderson on a screen pass in the flat; following a huge block by Graison Kelley, Anderson sprinted untouched for a 34-yard touchdown. Emery scored the two-point conversion, and the teams went into the break tied 14-14.

“Offensively, we found a groove — I thought we did a good job moving the ball against what I think is a really good defense,” Jernigan said. “Coach Butler did a nice job of mixing up the play calls, and I thought our kids executed at a high level.”

About the screen pass — which would be used again for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter — Jernigan said the key to that play’s success was Lyman’s aggressive defense.

“You have to find a way to make them pump the brakes — they’re going hard to get to the quarterback and get a stop, and it was a great call dialed up by coach Butler,” Jernigan said. “The execution was awesome — I think we threw four total screens against them, and I think every one of them went for either a score or a big gain. You’ll take that anytime you can get it.”

The Rangers received the second-half kickoff, and wasted no time driving into Lyman territory, though the drive seemed to stall just outside the red zone. A reverse to Rogers got the Rangers down to the Eagles’ 12-yard-line. Going for it on 4th-and-7, Fox fired a pass that went through the hands of Austin Ruvulcaba in the end zone, and landed in the lap of Bryson McGill for the touchdown; the two-point conversion failed, though Kemmerer led once again, 20-14.

“Sometimes Lady Luck smiles upon you, and that was a case of it, right there,” Jernigan said. “We work on tip drills in practice, and that’s a credit to Bryson’s readiness and ability to be available, but, at the end of the day, that’s not something we drew up.”

The Rangers’ defense went into lockdown mode at that point, and didn’t allow Lyman