Broncos earn second consecutive win against Mary Walker

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos celebrated a win to close out Homecoming week at the local schools. The Broncos hosted Mary Walker on Oct. 14 and shut out the Chargers with a 38-0 win.

The Broncos set the tone for the game with a 55-yard touchdown run by Damien Rouleau on the first possession of the game. Pius Prosinecki hit the point after kick, and the Broncos led 7-0 with only seconds off the clock.

The Chargers would be unable to respond to the Broncos touchdowns all evening, and the LRS team used their physicality to their advantage.

Head Coach Greg Whitmore said the team had begun making strides at improvement during the previous game against Davenport, and he witnessed the continued development on Friday night. The Broncos set a goal for themselves to win the second half of the league games, and Whitmore said they are now halfway there.

The team continued to start with a new line up, which has been customary this season, and Whitmore said health issues took a couple of key players out of the game. Along with the consistent changes in the line up, the team has also rotated athletes into new positions to see where they can post their best efforts and assist the team.

A main change in the line up came from utilizing Bryce Esser in the tight end position. Previously the starting quarterback for the Broncos, Esser relinquished his role to Bryce Kelly, and the two created a strong partnership on the field.

The duo worked together to earn the second Broncos touchdown of the game off a 19-yard pass play from Kelly to Esser. Prosinecki’s point after kick was good and the Broncos maintained a 14-0 lead for the remainder of the first quarter.

The second quarter proved to be an even stronger effort by the Broncos, as the offense moved the ball consistently down the field and the defense prevented first downs. Mary Walker only had five first downs during the entire league match, while the Broncos posted 18 first downs.

The LRS team did not waste any time posting more points to the board in the second quarter, starting with a 10-yard touchdown run by Chandler Widman. Whitmore said Widman has done a good job stepping up as a leader for the team, and played well on both sides of the ball for the Broncos on Friday.

After Prosinecki’s successful point after kick with 9:58 remaining in the quarter, the Broncos continued their strong defensive efforts before working their way down the field on offense.

With just under three minutes left in the half, Widman found the end zone again on a one-yard run. Prosinecki hit the point after kick, and the Broncos moved ahead with a 28-0 advantage.

Widman would earn this third touchdown of the quarter with only 30 second remaining in the half. The four-yard run and successful point after kick moved the Broncos into their extended halftime for Homecoming court recognition, with a 35-0 lead.

The Broncos returned after halftime focused and determined to continue building a lead against the Chargers. The Broncos scored the last points of the game in the third quarter with a 25-yard field goal by Prosinecki.

The fourth quarter allowed the Broncos to rotate in the junior varsity players to earn some time on the field. Amidst multiple penalties, the second string held the Chargers scoreless and helped achieve the Broncos victory.

The Broncos posted 416 total offensive yards on Friday, and Whitmore said the steady gain of yards shows the team’s determination. The Broncos looked to create a more balanced attack, rushing for 247 yards and passing for 169.

Kelly ended the night with 14 completions on 21 attempts, and one touchdown. Rouleau led the team in rushing with 112 yards on six carries.

Widman ended the night with 90 rushing yards, while Esser led in receiving yards with 85.

Whitmore said another key to success for the Broncos in the past two games is winning the turnover battle. Early in the season, the team was plagued with turnovers and penalties, but as the more inexperienced players gain time on the gridiron, the team is making fewer mistakes, Whitmore said.

The Homecoming game always comes after a week of activities and distractions, Whitmore added. Every year Whitmore said he is anxious for the game, but the Broncos stepped up this year to play a focused and physical game.

The Broncos now prepare to face Kettle Falls on Oct. 21 and a win would move the Broncos into a 4-4 record. Whitmore said Kettle Falls is an older team with more experience than the Broncos, and the LRS team is expecting a physical battle.

The team will be without Camden Smith and Whitmore said the team will make adjustments in practice this week to prepare for the change in line up. He is hopeful all athletes will remain healthy so the team can post their best efforts on Friday.

Whitmore said the Broncos have become a better football team in the past two weeks, and he is looking for the team to continue the trend moving into the last two league games of the season. If the team nets at least one more win, Whitmore said the Broncos have a good chance of competing in the Crossover game.

Against Kettle Falls, Whitmore said the Broncos will need to continue to improve, stay physical and continue to move fast to the ball. If the Broncos can continue to reduce the amount of mistakes they are making, Whitmore said the team can expect success in the next two games.

The Broncos go on the road to face Kettle Falls, with kick off at 7 p.m. The Broncos have one home game remaining on Oct. 28, when they will host the Reardan Indians.