The Bantam Broncs played an offensive shootout game against the Drumheller Titans on the road Oct. 17, never giving up, but ultimately conceding the game to the Titans 42-38.
The game was an absolute offensive shootout. We started the game with a scoring offensive drive. Numerous Bantam Broncs carried/caught the ball, allowing us to march the ball into the Drumheller red zone. Early and often. Despite being out-sized, the Bronc offensive line dominated play in the trenches. They exploded out of their stances with each snap and created tons of space for our running backs.
While offence enjoyed success out of the gate, defence took time to adjust to the Drumheller offence. The first few Titan offensive drives resulted in TDs. It wasn’t until the second quarter (and some adjustments to our alignment and vision) did we begin to hold back Drumheller. They had an outstanding athlete playing tailback for them and, after we began containing and shedding crack blocks, we did a decent job of funnelling him to the centre of the field.
By the third quarter, we had lost our two starting Grade 9 QBs to injury. As a result, Grade 8 Kadyn Reinbold has to step in as QB. Not only did Kadyn execute plays and move the ball downfield, he took charge of the offense and was a driving force behind the team.
Due to injuries, we had Broncs playing out of position. While we were still able to move the ball offensively, we left three scoring opportunities on the table due to miscues and costly penalties. This allowed Drumheller to eventually tie the game. In the last play of the game, Drumheller was able to score, taking the lead for the first time in the game. 38-42.
Despite not hanging onto the victory, the game was a complete success for the Broncs. Having injuries to key players can cripple a team and destroy morale. Instead, the Broncs rallied around their injured teammates and played even harder. They played with a ton of heart and character, qualities that are invaluable to a football team (and life I general). There were missed opportunities, but our Broncs should be nothing but proud of their game.
Danyl Deardren was an absolute force all game. He made numerous tackles on defense, scored three touchdowns (including a kick return TD), and ran for countless yards as a running back. This is especially impressive when you consider that this was his first time playing as a tailback (Danyl stepped in to play once our other tailbacks were unavailable to play).
Cole Carlson was a beast on defence. He was our leading tackler and was a great answer to Drumheller’s strong running back.
Aiden Taylor No. 61 and Nevada Laprette-Cardinal No. 55 both dominated on both sides of the line. Due to the cold, we ran the ball for the majority of our offensive plays. Thanks to the efforts of Aiden and Nevada, our running backs always had tons of space to run.
It was a cold game. Whenever the weather is foul, it makes fine motor skills much harder. Throwing, catching, and kicking are all greatly affected. Despite this, our Broncs stayed resilient and played well despite the sub zero conditions.
We host the Rocky Mountain House Jr. Rebels on Nov. 1. Time to be determined.
- Submitted by head coach Todd Lewis