Colfax edges out the Broncos in the final seconds

For the second consecutive week, the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos fell just short of earning a league win. The Broncos hosted the Colfax Bulldogs on Sept. 22 where the neck-in-neck battle went in favor of Colfax 12-6, as they scored in the final four seconds of the game.

Head Coach Greg Whitmore said he is proud of the team’s effort and determination during the past two games, and understands the athletes are frustrated by being edged out in the final seconds of competition.

As the team prepares to face Liberty on Friday, Whitmore said the Broncos need to remain optimistic and continue to bring the same level of intensity to the field as they did on Sept. 22.

The Bulldogs and Broncos remained locked in competition throughout the first quarter, with neither team being able to convert offensive plays to touchdowns. Whitmore said both teams played consistently on defense, which proved early on that it would be a competitive game.

With second quarter adjustments in place, the Broncos scored the first points of the game off a three-yard run by Mason Brausen with 9:51 remaining in the quarter. The Broncos attempted their first point after kick of the season, but it was blocked by the Colfax defense.

The Broncos were able to carry the lead into halftime, and continued to make slight adjustments in order to improve their opportunities at making it to the end zone. With a strong start to the second half, Whitmore said the team was optimistic about earning the second league win of the season.

Colfax slowly chipped away at the Broncos defense in the second half, gaining yardage and moving the chains to gradually work their way down field. The LRS team attempted to contain the Bulldogs passing game, but fell short in the final second of the third quarter.

With only one second on the clock, the Bulldogs scored on a 10-yard pass play. The Broncos blocked the point after kick, and the two teams were tied as they entered the final quarter.

The Bulldogs took the field with a renewed intensity, and continued to move the ball down field. The Broncos remained focused on the task at hand, but a few critical errors in the final minutes of the game gave Colfax the advantage they were looking for.

After multiple attempts to move the ball down field, the Broncos found themselves forced to punt in the final minutes of the game. The Bulldogs blocked the punt, providing the Colfax team with a short field and adequate time to score.

Whitmore said Colfax was able to block the punt because of a missed blocking assignment by the Broncos. With athletes playing both ways, the physical exhaustion finally caught up with the team and resulted in a crucial error.

The Broncos were able to hold on defensively until four seconds remaining in the game, when the Bulldogs completed a four-yard pass play for a touchdown. The point after kick was no good, but Colfax sealed the victory.

Whitmore said the trend of the last two games is the Broncos are unable to compete in the physical battle throughout the entire game. Not only are the athletes tired physically, but mental exhaustion plays a role in their performance as well, he added.

The second half was when mental mistakes began to factor into the team’s performance, Whitmore said, and the team began to play on their heels instead of being the aggressor. The mental mistakes directly lead to a lack of confidence, and Whitmore said the Broncos need to focus on becoming stronger as a team and individuals.

The Broncos were able to reduce the amount of total penalties and turnovers in the game. The team only recorded two fumbles, but recovered both.

Brausen continued to lead the team in rushing yards, recording 79 yards in the game. Austin Thompson led the team in receiving, recorded 49 yards.

Whitmore said the Broncos have a slim margin of error this season, especially with the team starting five sophomores. He added the Broncos have to build more physically and in maturity in order to remain competitive during upcoming league games.

The previous games have been proof of the tough competition in the NE 2B League, and they have also shown the defensive struggle between both teams. Whitmore said it is nice to be competitive in these games after the previous season, but now the team needs to turn the corner and earn a win.

Liberty has maintained an unblemished season so far, and Whitmore said if the Broncos play a near-perfect game, they will have an opportunity to upset the league’s leader. He added Liberty benefits from experience, speed and size, but they also lack depth.

Whitmore said the Broncos will need to remain tough in the upcoming games, and he expects Friday night to be another hard-hitting game for the LRS team.