Broncos record first season win against Wilbur-Creston

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos returned to the gridiron on Sept. 9 to face Wilbur-Creston, after being shut out by Asotin the week prior. The young Broncos team bounced back from the early season loss to earn a 35-6 win over the Wildcats.

Head Coach Greg Whitmore said the game proved to be a step forward for the Broncos, and showed the coaching staff the potential of the Broncos team. Whitmore said the athletes demonstrated they could meet the game time pace and also play a physical game from beginning to end.

The Broncos played lights out defense, Whitmore said, and the defensive effort proved to be the greatest improvement for the team. Whitmore said in the first game, the Broncos struggled to perform well at game speed, and he was proud to see the team’s growth on Friday night.

Due to Wilbur-Creston’s unorthodox defense, the Broncos fought to start their offense and gain yardage against the Wildcats. At the end of the first quarter, both teams remained scoreless, but the Broncos came out ready to play in the second quarter.

The Broncos earned their first touchdown of the game with a 22-yard by Mason Brausen with 7:50 remaining in the half. Foreign exchange student Pius Prosinecki attempted his first ever point after kick, but his efforts missed the mark and the Broncos moved ahead 6-0.

Defensively the Broncos continued to stop the Wildcats drives and regained possession of the ball. The Broncos made steady progress down the field, leading to a five-yard quarterback keeper touchdown by Bryce Esser.

Esser ran the ball up the middle for a successful two-point conversion and the Broncos moved ahead of Wilbur-Creston, 14-0.

The Broncos continued to run a competitive defensive game, and in the final seconds before halftime, Brausen forced a Wildcats fumble. Damien Rouleau recovered the fumble and ran the ball back 62 yards for a Broncos touchdown as the buzzer sounded.

Prosinecki’s point after kick was good, and the Broncos led 21-0 at halftime.

Whitmore said the lead helped the team’s mentality and led them to have another successful half.

The third quarter went in the Broncos favor when Brausen ran 15 yards for another Broncos touchdown. Prosinecki hit the point after kick, and with 4:35 remaining in the third, the Broncos jumped out to a 28-0 lead.

The Broncos would find the end zone one more time in the third quarter, when Rouleau ran 56 yards for the final LRS touchdown. Prosinecki kicked the ball through the uprights again, and the Broncos settled in with a 35-0 lead.

The strong scoring advantage allowed the Broncos to rotate in the younger athletes and allowed the starters to rest during the fourth quarter. The junior varsity squad only allowed the Wildcats a single touchdown with three minutes left in the game, moving the final score to 35-6.

The Broncos ended the evening with 227 total yards of offense, compared to just 109 yards posted by the Wildcats. Esser faced pressure in the pocket throughout the game, resulting in him completing eight of 21 passes.

The strength for the team proved to be in rushing yards, as the Broncos posted 155 yards. Brausen led the Broncos in rushing yards with 64. Rouleau accumulated 59 rushing yards on only three carries.

Rouleau led the team in receiving yards with 41 on four receptions. Camden Smith had 20 receiving yards for the Broncos on Friday night.

While the Broncos came away with a win after a strong performance, Whitmore said there are areas of improvement the team needs to focus on in the upcoming weeks. The team is still battling with turnovers and penalties, and Whitmore explained the margin of error is slim, and these mistakes could prove costly for the team in the future.

The Broncos had four fumbles on Friday night, and only one turnover.

Whitmore said the Broncos did do a good job at forcing turnovers against the Wildcats, and he hopes to see the same pressure in the upcoming games from the Broncos.

The win on Friday night also marked the 100th career win for Whitmore as head coach. He said his success as a coach is directly related to the quality coaches and athletes who have been a part of the team during his tenure, and the strong program they have created together.

The Broncos now move on to face Northwest Christian on the road on Sept. 16. Whitmore said the Crusaders play a more traditional defense, and he expects the Broncos to be successful offensively on Friday night.

Whitmore said the keys to the game include keeping pressure off of Esser as quarterback, and executing better offensively. On defense, Whitmore wants to see the team stop runs and continue to put pressure on the line.

Against Northwest Christian, Whitmore expects to see a balanced game between the two teams. The game serves as a key match up for the Broncos, as they work to establish their identity and develop as a young team.

Kick off is set for 7 p.m. in Riverside on Friday, Sept. 16.