Broncos drop close game to Southwest Roughriders on the gridiron

    In a game that was closer than the score may look, Wauneta-Palisade came up on the short end of the contest 25-37.
    The Broncos scored first in the opening quarter with a 40 yard strike from Nathan Blackman to Blake Nickerson, but the extra point attempt by Gabe McCrumb failed leaving the Broncos leading 6-0.
    Southwest came back and scored the next two touchdowns with a 17 yard and 36 yard run both by Mitchell Stritt.
    The Bronco defense didn’t  seam to have an answer in the first half for Southwest’s running back. Stritt racked up 149 yards and three touchdowns on 19 touches.
    The Broncos passing attack kept them in the game with Blackman and Nickerson hooking up again in the first quarter, this time for a 55 yard score. Grayden Sutherland added the extra point and the game was tied at 13.
    Stritt would strike one more time in the opening quarter with a 39 yard touchdown run. A two point conversion put Southwest in the lead for good at 13-21.
    The only score of the second quarter was a safety by the Roughriders leaving the score at 13-23 at the half.
    In the third quarter the Broncos got back into the game when Blackman hit Aden Acton for a 23 yard touchdown pass. G McCrumb’s kick was no good making the score 19-23.
    Southwest went to the air in the second half when T. Williams brought down a 49 yard touchdown pass. The kick was no good giving Southwest the 10 point lead 19-29.
    Still in the third quarter the Broncos got their only rushing touchdown of the night when Tyler McCrumb ran it in from three yards out. The kick by Gabe McCrumb was no good leaving the Broncos trailing by four, 25-29.
    Southwest sealed the win with another 10 yard pass and  two point conversion for the final scoring of the game leaving the Broncos on the wrong end of the 25-37 score.
    Wauneta-Palisade led the passing stats with 312 yards compared to 248 for Southwest but the Roughriders out rushed the Broncos, 179 yards to just 16 for the Broncos. Each team had a turnover in the game.
Next action
    The Broncos will travel to Wallace on Thursday Sept. 28 for a 6 p.m. MT. meeting. Wallace has a (2-2) record on the year.
    Friday Oct. 6 will be homecoming against Arthur County starting at 6 p.m. MT.