The Buhl football team unloaded three cylinders of the revolver into its foot during the first half of its homecoming game Thursday.

TheIndians quickly recovered, however, to defeat Sawtooth Central Idaho Conference rival Filer 49-12 and spoil any Wildcat notions of an upset.

Filer found itself leading 12-7 late in the first quarter as the Wildcats' first score came courtesy of the first bullet: a fumbled snap at the Buhl 35.

A Buhl penalty put the Wildcats on the 30, and Tyler Kreft carried it in from there. Buhl's Kurran Kelly answered with an 84-yard touchdown run.

A 37-yard pass from quarterback Nathan Hughes to Jeremy Astle put the Wildcats inside the Buhl 10, and Hughes caught Matt Jones soon after for the score.

"My line gave me time, and (the receivers) ran good routes," Hughes said. He completed 5-of-17 for 73 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Bullet Nos. 2 and 3 came as another fumble and an interception, but Buhl's defense stopped Filer from scoring on those possessions.

Kelly rushed for his second touchdown midway through the second quarter for the 14-12 Buhl lead. The Indians did not relinquish it for the remainder of the game.

"The line got their blocks down. I saw an open hole and only had the safety to beat," Kelly said.

Eric Sengvanhpheng rushed for a touchdown and hauled in a 15-yard score from quarterback Cader Owen to give Buhl a 28-12 edge at the half.

Owen was 7-of-13 for 106 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Kelly carried for 160 of Buhl's 322 rushing yards.

"We came out slow, and the first quarter was not good. But once we got our heads in the game," Buhl lineman Nathan Romans said, alluding to the line's improved performance as the night went on.

Buhl held Filer to less than 200 yards of offense.

The second half was all Indians as Buhl scored an additional three times. Owen connected with J.D. Leckenby from 10 yards out, and Romans rushed for a 25-yard touchdown as he picked up Sengvanhpheng's fumbled punt return at the Filer 25.

Sengvanhpheng caught it at the Buhl 35 and carried it up the right sideline 40 yards amid a swarm of Filer defenders before losing the ball. Blake Finney finished off a late drive with a 3-yard rushing touchdown.

"On those long runs, we had some missed tackles," Filer coach Robert Kohler said. "Those are mistakes we can't afford to make."

Buhl (4-1, 2-0) will travel to Glenns Ferry next Friday, while Filer (0-6, 0-2), still vying for its first victory, will host Gooding in SCIC play.

Buhl 49, Filer 12

Filer 12 0 0 0 - 12

Buhl 7 21 14 7 - 49

First quarter

Filer - Tyler Kreft 30 run (kick failed) 7:55

Buhl - Kurran Kelly 84 run (Armando Arroyo kick) 4:30

F - Matt Jones 10 pass from Nathan Hughes (pass failed) 2:10

Second quarter

B - Kelly 4 5 run (Arroyo kick) 5:28

B - Eric Sengvanhpheng 2 run (Arroyo kick) 1:37

B - Sengvanhpheng 15 pass from Cader Owen (Arroyo kick) 0:39

Third quarter

B - J.D. Leckenby 10 pass from Owen (Arroyo kick) 5:37

B - Nathan Romans 25 punt return (Arroyo kick) 3:33

B - Blake Finney 3 run (Arroyo kick) 7:36