Crusaders hand Broncos first loss, 30-0

RITZVILLE – Northeast 2B rival Northwest Christian (Colbert) handed the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague boys football team its first loss of the football season Friday, Sept. 29.

The Crusaders (5-0) won, 30-0, to take sole possession of first place in the league.

"We got our butts kicked," Broncos Coach Brendan Bermea said after the game.

The Broncos (4-1) were short-handed on offense, as senior running back Brock Kinch was sidelined due to an injury. So far this season, Kinch and junior running back Brody Boness have combined this season to give the Bronco offense a potent running game.

Early in the game, neither offense could get in a rhythm as referees whistled nearly every play dead because of penalties. Promising drives stalled and died as flags forced both teams backwards – 19 penalties were called during the game.

The Broncos' second drive ended with a turnover, when an errant pitch to senior running back Brody Boness hit the ground, giving Northwest Christian excellent field position.

The Crusaders moved the ball near the Broncos' goal line, but that drive ended with a penalty and then a fumble at the Broncos' 5-yard line.

The game was scoreless after a quarter.

Midway through the second quarter, a Lind-Ritzville/Sprague pass by quarterback Travis Redburn was picked off by the Crusaders at the Broncos' 34-yard line.

Crusader quarterback Titus Spuler took advantage of the miscue by scampering 19 yards into the endzone for the first score of the game. After kicking the extra point, the Crusaders led 7-0 with 2:33 left in the first half. On the ensuing kickoff, Joey Duff lit a spark for the Broncos with a 65-yard kickoff return down the left sideline to the Crusdaer 34.

But the drive ended when Redburn threw his second interception.

Northwest Christian's offense then struck like lightning as Spuler hit Asher West on a 78-yard bomb for a touchdown with 42 seconds left in the half, giving the Crusaders a 14-0 lead going into the locker room.

The second half started for the Crusaders much like the first half ended.

Two minutes in, Spuler hit Ben Slade in the end zone for a touchdown to give the Crusaders a 20-0 lead.

The Crusaders would add a field goal and Jaxson Hamilton's 1-yard plunge into the end zone in the fourth quarter to secure the 30-0 win.

During the game, Boness carried the ball 10 times for 141 yards for the Broncos. And Redburn completed 2-of-3 passes for 48 yards.

Northwest Christian rushed for 196 yards and passed for 157.

The Broncos' next game will be at Jenkins (Chewelah) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6.