Broncos prep for first league game against Asotin

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos hosted the annual Jamboree on Friday, Aug. 26, to help them prepare for the start of the regular season. With the addition of Asotin into the NE 2B league this year, the Broncos will only be facing league opponents during the regular season.

Head Coach Greg Whitmore said the Jamboree served as an opportunity for the Broncos to play at game speed and see how the athletes will react to different situations. After graduating 14 seniors last year, the Jamboree served as the first chance for the new Broncos line up to practice plays against different teams.

Whitmore said the team focused mostly on working on offense rotations, and did not have a substantial defensive game plan. The team graduated most of their lineman, and the Jamboree helped the new line practice for the upcoming season.

Whitmore said the main purpose of the Jamboree is to emphasize plays and plans, and to improve. The team has a lot of new starters this year, and the Broncos needed the opportunity to practice at game speed against an opponent other than each other in practice.

The Broncos are seeing decreased numbers this year, and Whitmore said they have a lack of depth on the team. For a lot of the athletes, Whitmore said, it will mean they have to play both offense and defense for the Broncos.

Whitmore said because so many athletes are playing both ways, conditioning is going to be the team’s primary focus in the upcoming weeks. The team needs to be able to play a strong and aggressive game from start to finish, Whitmore said, especially with the early season games that can be decided by a touchdown in the final minutes.

Pake Taylor and Damien Rouleau are returning to the team as captains this year. Their varsity experience is key to helping the younger athletes develop and learn to be competitive on the field.

Also returning to the team with varsity experience is Mason Brausen, Bryce Esser, Kyle Gimmaka and Chandler Widman. Tucker Guiles, who played mostly junior varsity last year, is moving up to varsity and will be receiving a lot of playing time now, Whitmore said.

Whitmore added they also plan to utilize Bryce Kelly in the quarterback position on occasion. Kelly gained varsity experience last year as a freshman when Esser could not play for health reasons.

With eight seniors on the team, Whitmore said there is a lot of opportunity for any Bronco athlete to step up and perform. One of the key changes this year for the team and the coaches is the learning curve and learning to be patient, Whitmore added.

Whitmore said the Broncos are a completely different team this year and he is looking forward to seeing their growth throughout the season. The Broncos are also benefitting from the addition of four Washtucna athletes competing with the team this year, and from them, Derek McKeen will be a starter.

The Broncos first game of the season is against Asotin, a team that joined the league this year and has a lot of strength, Whitmore said. Asotin had a competitive team last season, with the majority of the athletes in their junior year of high school.

Whitmore said the first game will serve as a huge test for the Broncos, and the team is going to have to play extremely well to win. Asotin has a lot of strength up front, Whitmore said, but they also have a lot of athletes who play both ways.

The Broncos will focus on their running game early on, relying on Brausen and Rouleau to get a lot of touches on the ball, Whitmore said. He added the first games will be a puzzle for the Broncos, as they work to see where all the pieces fit and who to become a complete and competitive team.

The Broncos host Asotin at 7 p.m. at Jimmie Snider Field on Sept. 2.