Loggers eliminate Broncos, 54-15

SPOKANE – The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos football season ended Saturday afternoon, Nov. 20, with a 54-15 loss to the Onalaska Loggers at Gonzaga Preparatory School.

"They were the better team," Broncos Coach Greg Whitmore said following the game. "Our kids came out and played really well for a quarter-and-a-half. Midway through the second quarter, Onalaska's size, physicality and experience took over on both sides of the ball."

Onalaska received the opening kick-off and went on a 5-minute drive, converting a 4th down and 4 opportunity along the way, but the drive would stall.

In punt formation, the snap went over the punter's head and the Broncos had their first possession of the afternoon near midfield.

Minutes later, the Broncos capitalized with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Chase Galbreath to Cooper Miller.

The point-after was good and the Broncos led, 7-0.

On the next possession, Onalaska fullback Marshall Haight scored on a 14-yard run. The Loggers were successful on the 2-point conversion, with a run by Gunnar Talley.

The Broncos trailed 7-8 at the end of the first quarter.

At the 11:21 mark of the second quarter, the Broncos ran a double pass play.

It started with a backward pass from Galbreath to J.T. Kelly, who threw the second pass to Hayden Melcher for a 49-yard touchdown.

The Broncos faked the extra point and instead threw the ball to Brock Kinch for 2 points, and a 15-8 lead.

The Loggers would score the rest of the points in the game.

They answered at the 8:51 mark of the second quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run by Kolby Mozingo.

Absent a kicking game, the Loggers went for 2-point conversions all afternoon.

On this occasion, it was Haight with the run for 2 points and the Broncos trailed again, 15-16.

With 3:11 to go in the first half, the Loggers extended their lead with a 15-yard run by Talley and a another 2-point conversion by Haight.

Onalaska led 24-15.

With 1:53 to go in the half, a Logger punt returner fumbled the ball, and Kelly recovered for Lind-Ritzville.

The Broncos had to decline an Onalaska unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which occurred during the return and before the fumble, and took possession at the Onalaska 12-yard line.

But Onalaska linebacker Talley intercepted a Galbreath pass and returned it to the 49-yard line.

Onalaska had the ball at midfield on the exchange of turnovers.

With 46 seconds to go in the half, Haight scored for the Loggers on a 45-yard run, and added the 2-point conversion.

Onalaska led, 32-15, at the half.

The first half was marred by unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on both teams.

"We are going to play the game our way," Coach Whitmore said at halftime.

The second half would go no better for the Broncos.

Mozingo scored another touchdown for the Loggers and Haight added the 2-point conversion to extend the lead to 40-15.

At the 8:40 mark of the third quarter, the Broncos faked a punt and threw a pass to Travis Redburn for a first down.

But the drive would stall and Lind-Ritzville punted again, giving Onalaska the ball at its own 20-yard line.

Haight would score again on a 48-yard touchdown run, but this time the conversion failed.

Onalaska led 46-15.

At the 2:39 mark of the third quarter, the Broncos turned the ball over on downs near midfield.

With 1:23 to go in the third quarter, the Loggers connected on one of few pass attempts, as quarterback Mozingo connected with fullback Kole Taylor for a 28-yard touchdown.

Mozingo added the 2-point conversion and the Loggers lead was 54-15, which would be the final score of the game.

The fourth quarter started with another Bronco punt.

On the ensuing possession, Taylor would fumble the ball, and Redburn made the recovery for the Broncos.

But that possession also ended with a Broncos punt, and by the middle of the period, mass substitutions were made by both teams, as backups and younger players got a taste of playoff action.

Whitmore told his young team:

"Not for one second do you lower your chin. Be damn proud of what you accomplished."

Later Whitmore commented, "In all, this game was a terrific experience and learning tool for our kids. It was a fun atmosphere at G-Prep with the band and the crowd being loud and supportive. The parents were awesome on this day and all year long."

The Broncos are a young team, losing only one player to graduation in 2022.

The quarterfinal playoff game was a bitter loss, on a cold gray afternoon, but with strength training and experience, the next couple of years look promising for the Broncos.

The win puts Onalaska on a collision course with top seed Kalama, which beat the Loggers, 58-6, in Kalama, on Oct. 16.

The winner of that game will advance to the state title matchup.