Sr. Broncs opened their football season last Thursday, Sept. 11, losing 15-8 in an away game they could well have won against Wetaskiwin Sabres, but they still inspired a lot of hope and made their coaching staff proud.
The late evening game began under partially cloudy skies with both teams testing each other in the first quarter without either team managing to get seriously closer to the goal line of the opponent.
While Broncs’ defensive setup appeared to be functioning well, as the game progressed, the hosts began to find holes in the Broncs line-up and when they couldn’t sneak through, they executed passing plays leaving Ponoka boys in disarray.
When the first half was done, there were no numbers on the scoreboard and the teams were left searching ways of breaking the deadlock.
The third quarter began with both teams appearing more determined to win the game and Sabres started to come strongly on the Broncs defense. Procedural errors and turnovers also began to be serious headaches for the Ponoka team with offsides and early movements on the scrimmage line costing some substantial yardage.
It was towards the end of the third quarter that Ponoka defense thwarted successive downs by the host team and gained some confidence. As they couldn’t penetrate Broncs’ defense line, Sabres attempted to score a touchdown through a passing play and a 25-yard pass to the end zone was incomplete. The ball was turned over to the Broncs, but offense couldn’t properly use that chance and an interception returned the ball back to Sabres, who scored a touchdown in the last second of the third quarter. With the kick being duly converted, Sabres started the last quarter with a 7-0 lead.
It was Broncs who kept up the pressure on the Sabres from early on in the fourth quarter and it finally paid off right after the halfway point the quarter was passed. Broncs had a first down on the 40 m. yard line of the Sabres’ half of the field and they drove the ball for about seven yards in two attempts. In the third down, when the Sabres were expecting a punt, Cameron Kirstein suddenly took a dash for a 10-yard run, securing a new first down. Right at that moment, a procedural error by the hosts won an additional 15 yards for the Broncs and it was suddenly first and goal for the Ponoka boys. Tyler Ekeli used the opportunity well and scored for the Ponoka side and Broncs went for a two-point conversion instead of the kick, scored and took a 8-7 lead just three minutes from end of regulation.
Ponoka fans who traveled to Wetaskiwin and the Broncs bench were impatiently waiting for the final whistle to come when Sabres struck again, using another interception to squeeze the second touchdown and two point conversion into the last two minutes of the game.
“We were the better team, the score doesn’t reflect it,” said Broncs head coach Scott MacGregor after the game. “The boys didn’t give up. I am proud of both our offense and defense today.”
MacGregor was particularly happy with the whole team, even the players who didn’t find the chance to go on to the pitch, for remaining positive and with everybody doing their job properly.
“The boys have taste of a victory that will come in the future and that came when we had the lead in the game. This taste will make them come next week focused and fired up,” Mac Gregor said.
Sr. Broncs host Rocky Mountain House on Friday, Sept.19 at 4.30 p.m. at the high school football field.