OSCODA - Aug. 28, 2008 - As stepping stones go, it was a good one for the Oscoda football team.

It wasn't a victory -- the Owls fell 29-8 to Leroy Pine River in their 2008 season opener -- but for the first time in awhile, there was legitimate hope for victory in the air.

"I'm extremely proud of the way we played," said Oscoda coach Chris Davis. "We haven't been in games that late.

"(I ask the kids to) believe in what we're trying to do, play hard and minimize their mistakes.

"We made some mistakes, but we played hard for three and a half quarters."

The Owls took the opening kickoff and scored on their game-opening drive on a short run by quarterback Thomas York, who also punched in the two-point conversion.

They maintained that 8-0 lead until late in the first half, when Pine River quarterback Luke Jones capped a Bucks drive with a short run of his own. Jake Richardson's two-pointer tied it up.

Pine River turned in the first of a series of game-breaking plays to open the second half when Brandon Bowman fumbled the kickoff, but picked up the ball and raced 80 yards for the go-ahead score.

Oscoda tried to respond, opening the next drive with a 12-yard Dylan Kachur run, but losing a fumble on the next play. Though the Owls held Pine River on the next series, another Oscoda fumble, this time at the end of a 20-yard run, gave the ball right back to the Bucks.

The defense again held, but the offense managed just one first down the rest of the way, and Pine River eventually pulled away with two fourth quarter scores.

"Those plays were tough," Davis said. "We're not the kind of football team that can give the ball up that way. It was an uphill battle after those."

The fact that Oscoda was still within 14-8 early in the fourth quarter wasn't lost on Davis. The Owls haven't played a meaningful fourth quarter since their last win -- a 40-14 victory over Tawas in 2005.

"The biggest thing is, the kids don't understand yet what "Easy Street" is like," Davis said. "We've been in the sewer, and that's what we're trying to climb out from.

"We stress believing in the drills, the system and the schemes, and believe in all aspects of our program. If we play hard, play our assignments, if we do those things -- of course, that's simple in theory, because there's a lot going on.

"The last 10 plays, though, we had a lot of guys standing around, and that's definitely not the environment we want."

It was during those final 10 plays that York went down with an injury, the severity of which was undetermined but had Davis concerned.

"We depend a lot on our quarterback," he said. "He's not a kid who complains about anything, so that's not a good sign."

In addition to York, Davis said that seniors Jake Trier and Kevin Hill each turned in the kind of play he was looking for.

The Owls (0-1) now prepare for a home date with Elk Rapids on Friday, Sept. 5. The Elks, who beat Oscoda 46-18 a year ago and have been in the playoffs the past two season, opened the 2008 campaign with a 41-8 victory over Mancelona.