LRS Broncos trample Reardan in home game

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos continued their undefeated run this season after running to a 47-7 win against league rivals, the Reardan Indians.

The Broncos hosted the Indians on Oct. 16, and quickly proved why they are the top-ranked team in the league.

After kicking off to Reardan, the Broncos gained possession at their own 26-yard line early in the first quarter.

On the first Broncos play of the game, Jacob Saetre ran the ball for 74 yards and the first LRS touchdown. The Broncos attempted a two-point conversion play, but ended the run with a 6-0 lead with 9:49 left in the first quarter.

Reardan began to make steady progress on runs during the next possession before the quarterback Justis Anderson dropped back in the pocket to look for a receiver. Due to miscommunication on the Broncos end, Anderson hit his receiver for a 47-yard Reardan touchdown.

With a successful point after kick, the Reardan Indians moved into the lead 7-6 over the Broncos with 6:39 left in the first quarter. The Broncos’ defense would hold the Indians for the remainder of the game, only allowing the single touchdown.

Head Coach Greg Whitmore said the lack of communication and pass coverage was frustrating for the Broncos, but the team quickly learned from their mistakes and began to steadily improve on communication on the field.

The game served as the third game without Broncos quarterback Bryce Esser, and Saetre’s second full game as the starting quarterback for the team.

The Broncos quickly bounced back to recapture the lead. Saetre connected with Damien Rouleau on a 40-yard pass play, and the two-point conversion run by Mason Brausen was good, giving the Broncos the scoring advantage.

In the second quarter, Dallas Killian intercepted Anderson’s pass and ran 25 yards for a Broncos touchdown. The point after kick was blocked, and the Broncos gained a 20-7 lead over the Indians with 8:52 left in the half.

On the Broncos next possession, Saetre completed another pass to Rouleau. The 31-yard pass play resulted in a point after kick completion, but the Broncos scoring drive for the half did not end there.

With just under two minutes left in the half, Saetre went to the air again and this time completed a 24-yard play to Andrew Witt. The point after gave the Broncos a 34-7 advantage going into halftime.

Whitmore said the team made a few mistakes in the first half, and mainly suffered from making mental errors. Overall, Whitmore was satisfied with the Broncos’ performance as they reduced the amount of penalties, improved on blocking and throwing, and did not have any turnovers for the night.

Early in the third quarter, Rouleau caught his third touchdown pass from Saetre for a 19-yard Broncos score. The 40-7 advantage allowed the Broncos to start substituting in junior varsity players for the remainder of the game.

With 2:25 left in the third quarter, Carlos Vuilleumier ran a five-yard touchdown in for the Broncos.

The point after kick moved the Broncos ahead 47-7, and allowed for a running clock for the remainder of the game.

Both teams would remain scoreless in the final quarter, with the Broncos rotating in athletes to gain more varsity experience.

The Broncos ended the night with 396 total offensive yards, compared to Reardan’s 140 offensive yards.

Saetre had a successful evening from the pocket for the Broncos, completing six passes for 142 yards and four touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing yards with 110, followed by Brausen with 83 yards.

Vuilleumier ended the night with 46 rushing yards for the Broncos.

Rouleau led the team in receiving yards with a 105 total yards on four receptions. He also had the longest kickoff return for the Broncos with a 61-yard run.

During the Reardan match up, Whitmore said there were times when the game seemed “too easy” for the athletes. The overconfidence and playing down to the Indians level resulted in short or dropped passes, mistakes that need to be eliminated before the upcoming games.

The Broncos go on the road this week to face Kettle Falls, and Whitmore said the Broncos need to remain focused. The main goal for the team in the remainder of the season is to stay mentally alert and reduce the amount of errors caused from mental mistakes, such as failing to communicate, Whitmore said.

Whitmore said the key to success for the Broncos is to remain healthy and stay focused. As long as the team continues to execute during games and continually work to improve for the next week, he is confident the team will continue their successful season.

The Broncos face Kettle Falls on Oct. 23, and return to Ritzville the following week to host Colfax in the final home game of the season.