By Brandon Cline
Managing Editor 

Season ends for Broncos in crossover loss to Colfax

 

Last updated 11/14/2019 at 11:08am

Journal photo by Brandon Cline

LRS Broncos senior running back Austin Thompson sheds a tackle. Thompson led the way offensively for the Broncos in the team's 59-13 loss to Colfax on Nov. 8, finishing the game with nine carries for 110 rushing yards against the Bulldogs.

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos football team saw its season come to an end on Nov. 8, falling 59-13 to the Colfax Bulldogs in the Northeast 2B crossover playoffs.

The Broncos, representing the North Division's No. 4 seed, fell behind early to the Bulldogs and couldn't climb their way out of the early deficit. Colfax jumped out to a 27-0 lead after one quarter and led 39-0 before LRS got on the board in the second quarter after a 76-yard touchdown run by senior running back Austin Thompson.

"No. 1, they're a really good team," said LRS head coach Greg Whitmore. "But unfortunately it didn't feel like we came out ready in the first quarter prepared, like we did in the Asotin game."

Colfax outgained LRS 453-273 in total offense in the game, but it was the minus-5 turnover margin for LRS that proved impossible to overcome. Bronco quarterbacks combined to throw four interceptions in the game, while the Broncos also lost a fumble that was recovered for a touchdown.

Thompson led the Broncos offensively, finishing the game with nine carries for 110 rushing yards and the score. Freshman running back Hayden Melcher saw playing time late in the game, rushing four times for 81 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs ground game proved to be too much for the Bronco defense to overcome, with seven players combining to rush 43 times 334 rushing yards, an average of 7.8 yards per rush. Five Colfax players rushed for at least 30 yards.

Third down conversions also played a critical role in the game, as Colfax converted 9-10 of its third down attempts, while LRS converted just 2-6. In all, the Bulldogs had 23 first downs in the game, while the Broncos had 10.

For the Broncos, they end their season with a 2-8 record overall, which includes an 0-5 league record. Colfax advances to the 2B State Championships with the win, and are seeded No. 7 out of 16 teams. They will play No. 10 Toledo in their first round game. Other teams from the Northeast 2B Conference in the state tournament includes No. 4 Chewelah, No. 8 Asotin and No. 12 Davenport. Lake Roosevelt, which LRS lost to in non-league play early in the season, is ranked No. 6.

The team will see just five of its 29 players on the roster graduate, which includes Thompson, running back Spencer Gering and linemen Spencer Miller, Garrett Frederick and Cole Cameron.

"These five guys will be hard to replace, so we may replace the numbers but you don't replace the experience," said Whitmore. "We'll still be young next year. Overall we relied a lot on freshman and sophomores that [previously] had very little playing time, so those guys gained a lot of experience and obviously we'll be counting on those sophomores and juniors next year to play big roles."

Of the remaining 24 players on the roster, almost half (11) are freshmen, several of which got significant playing time this year at the varsity level.

"When you're playing a lot of freshman on the varsity team you're going to pay a price during the season," said Whitmore. "But you hope you reap the rewards of them as they get older."

Whitmore expects 10-12 current eighth graders to be on next year's roster as freshman, meaning the program should see around 35 players on next year's team.

Author Bio

Brandon Cline, Former editor

Brandon is a former editor of The Ritzville Adams County Journal.

 

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