Broncos set to host Reardan on Friday

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos are preparing to host longtime rival and league competitor the Reardan Indians on Friday, Oct. 16. The Broncos are coming into the game after defeating the Liberty Lancers last week, while Reardan is currently on a multiple game winning streak.

The Broncos went on the road to face Liberty and after a slow start to the league game; the Broncos earned a 32-7 win over the Lancers on Oct. 9. The match up served as the Homecoming game for the Lancers who came into the game determined to defeat the currently undefeated Broncos.

Head Coach Greg Whitmore said Liberty is a consistent and physical team, and they caused problems for the Broncos early. The LRS team has consistently been slow to gain momentum at the start of games this season, Whitmore said, and the competition against Liberty was not an exception.

Liberty started the game in a new offensive setup, one the Broncos had not seen in previous game film, and it took the team until halftime to fully adjust to the offense. Whitmore said the unbalanced formations of the offense caused problems for the Broncos defense in the first half, but after making adjustments at halftime, the Broncos held Liberty scoreless in the second half.

Whitmore said the slick field conditions also posed problems for the team throughout the game, but he was thankful the Broncos were able to overcome the obstacle.

The first quarter remained locked scoreless for both teams until the last two minutes of the quarter when Jacob Saetre complete a 22-yard pass play to Alan Field for a Broncos touchdown. Saetre’s point after kick was good, moving the Broncos ahead 7-0.

Saetre served as the Broncos starting quarterback for his first full game this season, in the absence of Bryce Esser. With a week of preparation time, Saetre filled the position well and stepped up as a leader for the Broncos, Whitmore said.

Midway through the second quarter, Liberty went on a long scoring drive to tie the game with the Broncos. Whitmore said the Lancers’ touchdown “took the wind out of our sails” and the Broncos scrambled to earn back the lead prior to halftime.

With only a minute left in the first half, Mason Brausen ran in a four-yard Broncos touchdown. Brausen served as the team’s workhorse on Friday night, Whitmore said, and he was featured a lot to help the Broncos on carries.

Brausen ended the night with 27 carries, for a total of 105 yards and two touchdowns.

With one second on the clock before the half, Saetre completed a six-yard pass to Dylan Becker to move the Broncos ahead 19-7 at halftime.

Late in the third quarter, the Broncos made a long drive down the field for a short one-yard touchdown by Brausen. The two-point conversion attempt was stopped by the Liberty defense, and the Broncos maintained a 25-7 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Broncos and Lancers remained locked in a scoreless battle until just over two minutes left in the game. Andrew Witt ran in a one-yard touchdown, followed by a successful point after kick by Saetre. The Broncos ended the game with a 32-7 victory.

The Broncos had 329 total offensive yards, compared to only 118 earned by Liberty. The majority of the Lancers’ yardage was earned on the second quarter touchdown drive.

Saetre ended the night with 11 completed passes from 17 attempts, totaling 188 yards. He also had two touchdown throws for the Broncos. Whitmore said Saetre is a double threat as he has a strong, consistent throw and is also a forceful runner, which is an asset for the Broncos.

Becker led the Broncos in receiving with 73 total yards on two receptions, and one touchdown. Field ended the night with four pass receptions for 61 yards and one touchdown.

Whitmore said the team focused on making defensive adjustments at the half, which completely shut down the Lancers ability to move down the field offensively in the second half. Whitmore said the Broncos defense has been consistent and strong for the team, but improvements still need to be made with tackling and the offensive line needs to improve on blocking.

The Broncos defense played well aside from one drive, Whitmore said, and they forced multiple turnovers and had two interceptions. The team has been focusing on forcing turnovers while reducing their own, and Whitmore said the Liberty game was the first time the Broncos did not have any turnovers.

The team is still plagued by penalties, and had six in the game amounting to 40 yards. Whitmore said the team had multiple offside penalties, but some are expected during different snap counts and because the Broncos are blitzing a lot.

The LRS team is preparing to face longtime rival the Reardan Indians on Oct. 16. Whitmore said the team expects a tough battle and a low scoring game because of the quality competition.

Whitmore said the keys to success for the Broncos will be containing their three running backs and tight ends. Reardan runs a physical, “run down your throat” offense, Whitmore said, and the Broncos are going to have to be physical, align properly to defend and have solid tackling.

With Reardan coming off of a two-win streak and being considered the underdog, Whitmore said that makes them extremely dangerous. The Broncos are going to have to play strong defense and remain focused offensively to earn the rivalry win.

The Broncos host Reardan at Jimmie Snider Field with kick-off at 7 p.m.