Okanogan knocks the Broncos out of state playoffs

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos and Okanogan Bulldogs met at Lions Field in Moses Lake on Nov. 20 to duel for the opportunity to move on to the Semifinals.

In a rematch game in the same location, the Bulldogs knocked LRS out of the state playoffs for the second consecutive year.

In a back and forth battle, the Broncos ended their successful season with a 28-35 loss to the Bulldogs. For the Broncos seniors, their high school football career ended with a 49-2 record.

The two teams remained locked in battle until the final minutes when Okanogan scored the final touchdown for the advantage and eventually the game.

The Broncos had traded touchdowns with the Bulldogs throughout the contest, with the teams ending each quarter with tied scores.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how we played. I couldn’t be more proud of my coaches,” Head Coach Greg Whitmore said.

Whitmore said the team played well enough to win, but unfortunately Okanogan played a near perfect game and edged out the Broncos. Even though the season has come to an end, Whitmore said the Broncos should be proud of their final performance and the amount of heart and desire they showed on the field.

The evenly matched game proved difficult for either team to break ahead, and one team never had more than a one touchdown advantage. Both teams came out with new plays and had to make adjustments to defend and contain the opposing team.

“Most people saw a football game, but for us and the Okanogan coaches, it was a chess match,” Whitmore said.

Whitmore said the difference of the game came down to turnovers and special teams. The Broncos gave up a kickoff return to the Bulldogs, which took away the Broncos’ one-touchdown advantage at the time.

The game quickly started in favor of Okanogan when Jalen Moses ran in a 50-yard touchdown. During the Broncos and Bulldogs nonleague match up earlier this season, Moses and two other Okanogan athletes had not competed.

Whitmore said the initial touchdown for the Bulldogs came off of a new play the Broncos had not prepared for or seen in game film. The team quickly made adjustments to prevent long running plays during the remainder of the game, and took over on offense for an opportunity to tie the game.

The Broncos earned their first touchdown with 5:21 remaining in the first quarter. Andrew Witt ran two yards into the end zone to tie the game. Jacob Saetre hit the point after kick, and would go four-for-four in point after attempts.

During the second quarter, the Broncos would take the lead with a three-yard touchdown run from Saetre. The Bulldogs would run the kickoff back for a 94-yard touchdown and tie the game, not allowing the Broncos to hold on to their lead.

The special team’s error would keep the two teams stuck at a 14-14 score going into halftime.

The Broncos came out strong in the third quarter, stopping Okanogan’s drives and making them turn the ball over on downs.

Throughout the game, the Bulldogs won the turnover battle, forcing the Broncos to turn the ball over on downs or forcing the punt when the Broncos had a good position on the field.

The Broncos scored halfway through the third quarter to move ahead by a single touchdown. Saetre connected with Damien Rouleau in the end zone on a nine-yard play.

The Bulldogs began marching down the field and quickly tied the game again with just over a minute left in the quarter. The 34-yard touchdown pass moved the two teams into the fourth quarter to battle it out for an opportunity to continue into the state playoffs.

The two teams remained locked in a single touchdown per quarter battle until the fourth quarter when Okanogan would break the trend and score twice.

With only 43 seconds off the clock, the Bulldogs had a successful pass play for a 43-yard touchdown.

The Broncos would quickly respond less than two minutes later when Saetre completed a pass to Dylan Becker for an 11-yard touchdown.

With only two minutes left in the game, the Bulldogs scored on a six-yard trick play to put themselves in a comfortable position, keeping the lead with only a minimal amount of time left on the clock.

The Broncos relied on their passing game with the intention of gaining substantial yards and tying the game.

On the second down pass attempt, Bryce Esser’s pass was intercepted, turning the ball over to Okanogan on their own 30-yard line.

The Broncos would hold the Bulldogs on fourth down and regain possession, but a second interception with 17 seconds left in the game would seal the Broncos fate and give Okanogan the win.

The Bulldogs and Broncos ended the game with balanced statistics. Okanogan ended the night with 298 yards, while the Broncos had 316 total offense yards.

On passing, the Broncos had 126 totals yards compared to Okanogan’s 111 yards. For rushing yards, the Broncos had 190 to the Bulldogs’ 187.

In the final game of the season, Saetre led the team in the quarterback position with 126 total yards on 14 completions. Saetre also led the team in rushing yards with 84, followed by Mason Brausen with 61 yards. Rouleau led the team in receiving yards with 53 on four receptions.

Throughout the game, Whitmore said ultimately he would have liked to force Okanogan to throw more, as their runs always proved to be just enough to move the chains.

Both teams moved the ball well and Whitmore bet if the teams met up 10 times, each team would win five of the games because they are so evenly matched.

Whitmore said the game could have just as easily ended with a Broncos victory. Just one more block, one more catch and one more play could have changed the outcome, Whitmore said.

While the team is unhappy the season is over, Whitmore said the team ended their season against a competitive team and showed the improvement they made this season.

Whitmore said the game was a lot of fun to coach, and he hopes the Broncos will realize the magnitude of their success over the season, as well as the past four seasons.

Throughout the nation, very few football teams can claim four league championships, two state titles and a 49-2 record.

With 15 seniors graduating from the team this year, next year will be a rebuilding year for the team, but Whitmore said those seniors have experienced one of the most legendary and rare football experiences ever.

The only losses the seniors faced in their four seasons were to Okanogan: a team who would go on to win the state title and are currently defending that state title this year.

Whitmore said he looks forward to next season and wishes the senior athletes well, and hopes they cherish the memories, lessons and friendships they had on the football team.