By Todd Lewis
Bantam Broncs Head Coach
In their last game of their spring preseason, the Bantam Broncs were absolutely successful.
The Broncs played in a jamboree in Rocky Mountain House on June 3.
While scoring touchdowns, setting key blocks, and making tackles are essential to any football team, the Bantam Broncs define success by playing with a perfect effort, striving to improve and grow, and ceaselessly Lifting one’s Brother; the Broncs demonstrated all three values in spades.
Players were organized, efficient, and constantly finding ways to remain in high spirits (even when things got tough). As a result, they played excellent football. In all four of their games in the jamboree, the Bronc offence was explosive.
The team’s blocking was tenacious and effective, giving ball carriers multiple lanes to find the endzone. Ten separate Broncs scored touchdowns thanks to this full-team effort with their blocking assignments.
Rookie No. 99 RB/LB Chase Altizer had over ten yards per carry and was a consistent threat all day (scoring several touchdowns).
No. 85 TE/LB Tyler Hawkings set key blocks and scored his first touchdown (it happened to also be his birthday). No. 7 RB Tyzia Bull scored a few touchdowns of his own as well as took a few snaps at QB and completed a few passes.
No. 65 OL/DL Cade Prediger lead the charge off the oline, bullying opposing players left and right.
No. 11 QB Carson Frank showed tons of improvement through the day. He converted on numerous passes and scored his first rushing touchdown of his career as well.
Defensively, the Broncs bent at times but refused to break. Coverage of receivers was much improved as was the defense’s ability to contain runners to the inside of the field.
Most importantly, the defence played downhill, not hesitating and, rather, charging toward the opposing teams’ offenses.
No. 27 FS Ezra Louis played sound defence and had several big tackles. No. 10 DE/OL Quinn Lentz had several key tackles while containing opposing team’s runs.
No. 38 LB/TE Cameron Lagarde gave no quarter and recoded numerous tackles-for-losses.
A first for the program was entering a pee wee team into a jamboree.
The Bantam Broncs have always taken on Grade 6 players in the spring preseason since the program does not yet have pee wee team. This extra bantam year sets up the younger players for success in their following two years on the team.
However, this year, the team has a large group of Grade 6s and the coaching staff decided to give them the opportunity to play their own games. And the Grade 6s didn’t disappoint. They moved ball extremely well, attacking the outside of opposing defences.
QB No. 18 James Scott was a rock, running the offence with poise and competence. He even completed several passes (a rarity for peewee football) and scored several touchdowns on foot.
No. 12 LB/SB Ryder Malterer scored three touchdowns and made numerous tackles while on defence. DE/WR No. 90 Rhys Davis was an absolute beast on defence, recording multiple tackles-for-losses (he was also named MVP for the peewee squad).
No. 89 RB/LB Morgan Jeffrey made smart plays and followed his blocks to the endzone multiple times. After such a strong showing, the Broncs coaching staff is strongly considering creating a pee wee team for the younger players.
The spring preseason has now concluded and the team looks forward to the regular season in the fall as well as dryland practices throughout the summer.
Dryland practices are less-formal, skill-focused sessions. They are open to any Ponoka-area kids and are absolutely free (although players are encouraged to bring items for the food bank to each practice).
Dryland will run every Wednesday, from 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. Any interested can email Todd.Lewis@wolfcreek.ab.ca for more details.
Brothers Kaiden and Morgan Jeffrey. (Photo submitted)
