Broncos suffer nonleague loss to Northwest Christian

An on the road loss marked a 1-1 record for the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos football team. The Broncos suffered a nonleague loss to Northwest Christian with a final score of 34-13.

The Broncos had a strong start against the Crusaders, and the two teams remained locked in battle throughout a scoreless first quarter. Greg Whitmore said he was proud of the Broncos for being competitive against an aggressive NWC team, which led to LRS posting the first points of the game.

Whitmore explained the Broncos played better than the score reflected, but the team is still plagued by a small roster, resulting in a lack of depth for the team.

Early in the second quarter, Conrad Ziemer eluded the NWC line to score on a one-yard run. Shontz Yaeger made the point after kick, moving the Broncos into a brief lead.

The Crusaders responded to the touchdown by running back the kickoff for 75 yards. With a successful point after kick, NWC tied the game before quickly showing their athleticism on the field by scoring three additional touchdowns before halftime.

The repetitive scoring moved the Crusaders into a 27-7 lead at halftime. Whitmore explained the Broncos gave up about four long-run plays during the game, which resulted in first downs or touchdowns for NWC.

The Broncos also suffered a significant loss in the first quarter, with Austin Thompson being taken out of the game due to injury. Whitmore said while Thompson’s condition seemed to improve by the end of the game, he declined letting him rejoin his team on the field since it was a nonleague contest and he wanted to allow him with the opportunity to heal.

Moving into the second half, the Crusaders tacked on another touchdown halfway through the third quarter. The 34-7 scoring spread late in the game left the Broncos unable to retaliate, and exhaustion also began to become a factor.

With a lack of depth on the LRS roster, and with Thompson leaving the game, the Broncos attempted to fill their roles and perform to the best of their abilities, but a lack of rest and trying to be the aggressor proved too much for the team.

The Broncos struggled to earn first downs offensively, resulting in turnovers on downs or being forced to punt. Defensively, Whitmore said the team needs to reduce the amount of mental errors on the field, including lining up properly and staying in the correct lanes.

LRS gave up a few big plays defensively, which led to a breakdown in reaction and errors on the field, Whitmore explained. The team needs to focus on playing smart mentally to help reduce the amount of errors on the gridiron.

The Broncos secured a final touchdown in the fourth quarter when Bryce Kelly connected with Drew Kelly on an 18-yard pass play.

Whitmore said in the fourth quarter, the Broncos were able to rotate in junior varsity players and allow varsity a break from playing a full game. Due to a small number of athletes on the team this year, it is important that younger players have opportunities to play at game speed, even if it is in a varsity game.

The Broncos ended the night with 178 total offensive yards, with the majority coming off of pass plays. NWC had 370 offensive yards during the nonleague game.

Whitmore explained NWC passed more than anticipated, and their speed allowed them to outrun the Broncos team for multiple gains or touchdowns.

Bryce Kelly had 11 pass completions and 100 yards passing for the Broncos. Even with an early injury, Thompson led the Broncos in rushing with 51 yards on four carries.

In receiving yards, Carson Ayers led the team with 51 yards on four receptions.

This season, the Broncos have exceled at reducing turnovers, with only two occurring during the Friday night game: one on a lost fumble and another on an interception.

The Broncos return home on Friday, Sept. 13, to face Wilbur-Creston in a nonleague contest. Whitmore said the nonleague game serves as another opportunity for the Broncos to develop as a team before having to start league competition the following week.

Wilbur-Creston is a young team and should match up well with LRS, Whitmore explained. While the Wildcats are bigger than the Broncos, he added LRS benefits from increased athleticism.

The Broncos will review film to see the mistakes they made on the field last Friday, and work on adjustments to make in order to reduce the amount of mental errors in a game. Whitmore said the team will need to get back on track on Friday, stay healthy and work to correct mistakes.

The two previous nonleague games also allow the Broncos to gain confidence on the field and continually improve to ensure the team is ready to compete in the upcoming league games.

The Broncos and the Wildcats will face off at 7 p.m. on Friday at Jimmie Snider Field.