Seniors Jace Clevenger (76) and Caine Haarberg, right, team up to provide their quarterback, Caleb Weiss, with protection as he rolls out for a pass. (Johnson Publications photo)
Defensive lineman Eli Hinojosa rides Broken Bow back Tycen Marten to the ground with some help below from Levi Nance. Hinojosa led the team with 13 tackles, including a pair of solos. (Johnson Publications photo)
Kadin Vrbas assured himself of a 90-yard touchdown run when he stiff-armed Broken Bow’s Josh Harvey, the last player to have a shot at him. (Johnson Publications photo)
Longhorns even record with 13-0 win over Broken Bow
One touchdown early in the second quarter and another late in the third proved enough as the Longhorn defense tagged a goose egg on the Broken Bow Indians here Friday night.
After a season-opening loss at Cozad, the Longhorns bounced back with a 13-0 win over Broken Bow to even the ’Horns’ record to 1-1.
“We played a lot more consistent tonight,” Head Coach Dan Lenners said after the game.
“We did a better job of blocking to the whistle,” he added.
All week, he emphasized to his players that most plays last four to six seconds. He wanted to see consistency and effort during those four to six second.
It paid off. “The consistency and the effort was there. That’s what I’m most pleased about,” he added.
Lenners praised his defense for holding Broken Bow scoreless, limiting them to just 122 yards of offense.
The secondary limited the Indians to just 34 yards passing. They didn’t allow their receivers to catch much, he noted.
He said they made some halftime adjustments in coverages and linebacker positions that helped them stop the Indian’s rushing attack.
The Longhorns will travel to Gothenburg Friday for a game that’s always physical.
The Swedes enter the game at 2-0 with an opening 20-13 over Holdrege and a 20-12 win over Ogallala last week.
Kickoff at Gothenburg is set for 6 p.m. MT.
Defense tested early
The Longhorns tried to keep the opening drive of the game going by faking a punt deep n their own territory.
The attempt failed and Broken Bow got the ball on the Longhorn 35. But for four downs, the defense never yielded 10 yards and got the ball back.
The Longhorns took over and began driving before a second drive stalled on a fourth-down conversion at the Indian 30.
The defense responded with another three-and-out and took over at midfield following the punt.
Quarterback Caleb Weiss found Braden Space in the open for a 30-yard gain. But a penalty and an incomplete pass in the end zone on fourth down killed another Longhorn drive.
The Indians started moving the ball, moving inside the Longhorn 35 before Space picked off an Indian pass to set up the Longhorns’ first scoring drive.
To view more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. https://etypeservices.com/Imperial%20RepublicanID359/