Close games have been the norm lately for the resilient Stuart Broncos. They have battled through three tough games and have come away and escaped near disaster each game. The Broncos finally proved that they could handle a team and come away with a resounding victory. Some of the freshman Broncos finally got their opportunities late in the game to prove what they have to offer for the future.
The game kicked off on the last Friday night of September. A chilly night, but a cool experience as the Broncos faced the tough-nosed Wausa Vikings. The Vikings had a cool pre-game showcase as they lit off fireworks concluding the National Anthem. The teams then took the field and prepared for battle. The Broncos got the ball first and swiftly marched down the field on the young Viking defense to take a 8-0 lead. A touchdown pass on a trick play from senior Micah Dexter to junior Trey Thornburg put the Broncos up 16-0 and a run by Tate Schmaderer boosted the score to 24-0 after the 1st quarter. The Vikings quickly bounced back with a 58 yard strike from talented quarterback Aidan Kleinschmit. The teams would go back and forth in the second quarter as the Bronco defense struggled to find its footing in the 2nd quarter. The defense gave up 21 points, but luckily were able to add another 16 to take a 40-21 lead into the half. Running back Micah Dexter found quarterback Tate Schmaderer for a 25 yard touchdown on another bit of trickery by the Broncos. The offense was exciting, but an underwhelming performance by the defense put them in a tighter game than expected.
The scoring finally slowed down a bit due to halftime and the scorekeeper could finally catch a little bit of a breath. The Broncos started off the second half with another quick score after an interception. The failed conversion put the Broncos up 46-21, but that proved to be all the scoring in the 3rd period as both defenses harnessed up a bit. Stuart flexed their power once again as a great drive boosted the Broncos up to 54-21 and another score by talented freshman back Chance Engel put the game away. All in all, the Broncos defeated the Vikings by a score of 60-35. Freshman center Zach Michka, guard Matt Dickau, running back Tanner Dickau, and junior Slayder Swanson got some valuable experience as the Broncos will need to develop some depth down the stretch run.
A big District game is looming at the (4-0) Broncos will challenge the (4-0) Chambers-Wheeler Central Renegades in a game taking place in Chambers. The Renegades are a very talented group of experienced players and pose as a big threat to the surging Broncos. For more coverage of the Broncos you can follow them on Twitter by following @bronco_fb. Go Broncos!
