EAGLE — The Bonners Ferry Badgers couldn't contain a strong offensive day from Cole Valley Christian in their state playoff game on Friday in Eagle. 

Badgers' head coach Danny Swift said his team battled throughout the game, and Cole Valley's athleticism made it difficult to find offensive momentum and slow their chunk plays. With the loss, the Badgers' season comes to a close, and they finish with a 5-4 overall record. 

"I felt [our kids] traveled well, and I know for a fact they played their absolute hearts out, and just really proud of them. It was a really good season," Swift said. "We knew we had an uphill battle tonight, but we came down and hoped to play our best game. It might not have been our best game, but definitely still very proud of the kids." 

Swift said the Badgers defense played an impressive game, though the final score doesn't reflect it. Bonners Ferry held Cole Valley's offense, which averaged 32 points a game heading into the contest, to just 20 points through three quarters. 

However, the Chargers sprung a couple of big plays late, which put the Badgers in a hole they couldn't climb out of. 

On offense, Bonners Ferry suffered from several self-inflicted wounds, including a killer illegal block penalty that negated a 70-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Alex Stolley. The Badgers were held to just 102 total yards on offense, 63 of which came from Stolley. 

"With a team that athletic, you can't miss one assignment or they'll make you pay," Swift said. "It seemed like every time we started to get a little forward progress, we just lacked that execution to continue to move forward." 

After the game, Swift thanked his seniors and said they've left an immeasurable positive mark on the program. He said he told them that he was proud to be a part of their journey and wished them nothing but the best in their future. 

For the Badgers who are returning next year, Swift said his message to them was to feel the pain of losing and use it as motivation for next season. 

"Championships aren't won from August to November; they are won from November to August," Swift said. "We have to find a way to be inspired in the offseason and come back bigger, faster, stronger and better than we've ever been."