Beaumont Cougars Win 'Battle for the Wheel' 38-0 on Banning's New Field

The latest chapter in the oldest high school football rivalry in Riverside County was written on Friday.

Beaumont fans will talk about this one for years to come.

Banning fans will like to leave it in the past.

The visiting, more polished, and much more experienced Cougars dominated in a 38-0 win over the Broncos.

The win gives the Cougars bragging rights for yet another year and they remain in possession of 'the Wheel,' the prized trophy stemming from stagecoach history in the San Gorgonio Pass.

"I don’t know if they really know how big this game is," Beaumont Coach Paul Lopez said of his players. "They always want to come out and beat Banning. They play with pride. I think the older generation is where you find it more intense."

Lopez learned how critical the game was to Beaumont fans when the Cougars lost possession of 'the Wheel' in his first season as head coach.

"I learned more the last four years," Lopez said. "What brought me more closely into it was when we lost in 2008. Then I really found out."

The Cougars have now won eight of the last 11 rivalry encounters and this was their 30th 'War of the Wheel' victory.

But Banning still holds a 35-30 overall lead in the historic series.

The victory provides some much needed momentum as Beaumont (2-3) heads into Mountain Pass League play next week at Perris Citrus Hill.

"We needed this," Lopez said. "We needed to get back on track. We’ve had some tough opponents. We needed this as we go into league."

As for Banning (0-5), the loss completes a winless non-league schedule. The Broncos hope to turn things around next week in their Mountain Valley League opener against visiting Rubidoux.

"You’re a young team and this will happen," Banning Coach Scott McRitchie said. "You will get your butt kicked. You just hope that a lesson taught is a lesson learned."

Beaumont dominated from start to finish, putting the game away in the first half by scoring on four of their five possessions.

Beaumont led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter off a pair of touchdown runs – an 8-yarder by Joey Jeffers and an 11-yarder by Tyler Mickles.

The Cougars produced three scores in the second quarter to take a commanding 31-0 halftime lead.

Josh Martin scored from 5-yards out to make it 21-0 and then the Cougars went up 23-0 when defensive lineman Shad Dones recorded a QB sack in the Banning end zone for a 2-point safety. The Cougars went up 31-0 when Martin hit Angel Wilson on a 10-yard TD pass.

Beaumont completed its victory in the fourth quarter when Martin connected with Nikko Allen on a 26-yard TD play to make it a 38-0 final.