Broncos crush Bulldogs, 35-12

RITZVILLE – The Broncos boys football team handled the Colfax Bulldogs, 35-12, in a Northeast 2B league season-opener Friday night, Sept. 2, on Jimmie Snider Field.

The win was the first for Broncos Coach Brian Bermea, who assumed the lead role on the senior-laden team in July after Greg Whitmore was hired as superintendent of the Entiat School District.

Prior to this season, Bermea was an assistant coach for the Tonasket Tigers.

"I feel like the guys came out and performed well enough," Bermea said. "We've got to do a little bit better. I'm really happy with our performance overall, but we have room for improvement."

Colfax Coach Mike Morgan credited the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague/Washtucna/Harrington combine with playing an outstanding game.

"That's a heck of a ball club," Morgan said. "Tons and tons of talent. At times, we just didn't have an answer."

"I'm excited to get this seasons started," Bermea said.

According to Morgan, the Broncos offensive line was a dominating factor in the game.

Add to that the running of junior Brock Kinch and sophomore Brody Boness, and the skill of quarterback Chase Galbreath, and the Broncos "just ate us up."

Colfax opened the game with two first-quarter scores but no PATs to take a 12-7 lead at the end of the first.

The Bulldogs' scores came on a 5-yard dive play and an 86-yard kickoff return, both by junior J.J. Bodey.

The Broncos' scores came on runs of 16, 4, 98, 10 and 8 yards each.

But the physicality of the Broncos team took its toll, as the Bulldogs gave up three second-quarter touchdowns.

The Broncos went into the break leading, 28-12.

After halftime, it only took Lind-Ritzville three plays to add another 7 points and take a 35-12 lead.

The score wouldn't change after that, despite both teams having sustained drives that fell shy of the end zone.

"I think we came out and hit them right in the mouth and went toe-to-toe with them," Morgan said. "And it was a duel in the third and fourth quarters."

Morgan said he's proud of his team and the efforts of quarterback Seth Lustig, running back Mason Gilchrist and his front line.

Bermea, too, credited his quarterback, Galbreath and running backs Kinch and Boness.

"My running backs were fantastic," he said.

"Every time those guys run the ball you hold your breath," Morgan said of the Broncos' Kinch and Boness.

The Broncos (1-0) head to Spangle this Friday, Sept. 9, to play another NE2B rival, the Liberty Lancers. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs (0-1) travel to Chewelah to play the Jenkins (1-0) Cougars.

Kickoff for those games is at 7 p.m.

Jenkins is coming off a 46-20 victory over Northwest Christian (0-1) from Colbert on Friday night, Sept. 2. Liberty (Spangle) is also 1-0, having topped Asotin (0-1), 34-0.

Morgan said his team will be focusing on tackling this week as the Bulldogs to make the road trip to Chewelah.

In another NE2B matchup, the Davenport Gorillas (1-0) held off the Reardan Screaming Eagles (0-1), taking the win in Davenport by a score of 16-13.

In nearby 1B football, Odessa topped Liberty Bell, 42-22, and St. John-Endicott/LaCrosse blew out Garfield-Palouse, 55-0.

Author Bio

Roger Harnack, Publisher

Roger Harnack is owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. An award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher who grew up in Eastern Washington, he's one of only two Washington state journalists ever to receive the international Golden Quill for editorial/commentary writing. Roger is committed to preserving local media, and along with it, a local voice for Eastern Washington.

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