By Todd Lewis
The Bantam Broncs kicked off in Lacombe against the Raiders on Saturday, Oct. 14th.
This was the last regular season game for both teams and playoff seedlings were on the line. Both teams would strive for victory to set themselves up for post-season success.
The Broncs wasted no time getting their game started. A long kickoff pinned Lacombe deep in their half of the field.
The excellent field position made it easier for the defence to shut down the Raiders’ offense. In three plays, the Broncs’ offence was on the field.
First play, Chase Altizer (No. 99) followed his blocks and broke an open-field tackle on his way to the end zone. It would be the first of many Bronc touchdowns.
Carson Frank (No. 11) has been consistent all season and Saturday was no exception. Not only was he technically sound (Carson completed numerous receptions, many for a TD), but he was tactically sound as well.
His on-the-field play calling was exceptional and always gave the Broncs’ offence a chance to drive the ball downfield.
Ponoka’s dynamic duo, Kaiden Jeffrey (No. 6) and Truce Cardinal-Beaverbones (No, 4), had a dominant game in the slotback position. They blocked, caught, ran the ball, and scored (often).
Mac Cordel (No. 20) showed his speed and tenacity at running back, juking past defenders as well as trucking through them on numerous plays.
Neil Swampy-Montour (No. 62) showed tremendous hustle at offensive guard, blocking the Dline then turning upfield and blocking linebackers.
On defence, the Bantam Broncs played their best game yet. They filled their gaps (an area the D has struggled with in prior games), flowed to the ball extremely well, and played with ferocious aggression.
All season, coaches have preached “be the hammer and not the nail”; the Broncs’s D were sledgehammers.
Tyler Hawkings (No. 85) once again led the charge, recording many tackles and forcing several fumbles.
Cade Prediger (No. 65) was stalwart at the defensive end, forcing all outside runs back to the inside of the field (as well as recovering two fumbles).
Easton Tansowny (No. 43) had great positioning, leading to many tackles of his own.
Chase Altizer (No. 99) played sideline to sideline, taking excellent angles at Raider ball carriers.
The Broncs also showed dominant play on special teams. In the bantam league, the points-after-touchdown earns two points for a field goal rather than a single point you’d see in higher-level leagues (to promote kicking in youth players).
For the first time all season, the Broncs were able to consistently split the uprights. Having a field goal team that can score will be an asset in playoffs as those two points quickly add up to a big score.
The Broncs also managed to recover three of their own kickoffs. Truce managed to catch his own onside-kick, running it past stunned defenders all the way to the end zone. It was a rare and athletic play.
Overall, the Broncs’ special teams gave Ponoka a fantastic field position, greatly supporting following plays on defence and offence.
Throughout four quarters, the Bantam Broncs played a complete game. High effort, aggressive play, and strong team play made this a successful game. A symptom of that success: 71-0, Broncs.
The Bantams will play an exhibition game on the 22nd in Lacombe.
On Oct. 21st the Peewee Broncs enter the first round of playoffs. They kick off against the Titans in Drumheller. Both the Bantam and Peewee teams finished with a 3-1 record. The future for football in Ponoka looks bright!
On Oct. 24, all three Broncs football teams (Peewee, Bantam, Senior) will canvass the town and sell their discount cards door-to-door.
These cards contain numerous discounts and deals for local businesses in Ponoka. Money earned from selling the $20 cards helps pay for the program’s expenses.
