The Badgers (0-4,0-0) have had a rough start to their season with two big losses to Freeman and Lethbridge and losing two heartbreakers to Medical Lake and Libby.

They have a chance to turn that all around, though, this week as league play gets under way. Bonners Ferry will open Intermountain League competition with a trip to Timberlake to take on the Tigers (2-3, 1-0).

The Tigers won their first game of the season beating Riverside at home but then dropped three straight to Grangville away, Colville away and Sandpoint at home.

Timberlake bounced back last Friday with a big win over their first league opponent of the season beating Kellogg 56-26.

The Tigers have had the Badgers’ number in recent seasons but, contrary to what their record would suggest, this is a much improved Bonners Ferry football team.

Most impressive has been their ability to stop the run on defense. Ben Neumeyer, Carman Krichbaum, Robert Swanson, and rest of the defensive front have been tough on the line.

Another highlight for the Badgers has been a barrage of capable running backs in Zach Wilson, Brian Yeomans and Josh Pluid.

The Badgers have had trouble with a few aspects of the game, though. Defensive assignments have too often been missed when covering the deep ball, the passing game is not quite up to par, and special teams has been a little error-prone.

Those three shortcomings have cost Bonners Ferry on several occasions over the past four games. The Badgers are coming off a bye this week, however, and were determined to shore up some of the mistakes that have plagued them in the first half of the season.

Timberlake has a good football team, but if the Badgers managed to use their time off well they should be up to the challenge and could come away with a big league win.

The game will start at 7 p.m. at Timberlake High School.