Football Loses Close Game at Briar Cliff, 20-16
(Sioux City, IA) – The Briar Cliff Chargers held off the Hastings Broncos in a tight one on Saturday afternoon, 20-16. The Broncos forced five turnovers, but the Chargers allowed only three points off those turnovers.
The Chargers had a long drive to begin the game, but on third and 12 from the Hastings 27, senior linebacker Wyatt Ryan forced a fumble and the Broncos recovered. Briar Cliff picked off the Broncos three plays later and scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass on the next play to take a 7-0 lead less than six minutes into the game.
Later in the quarter, Hasting took advantage of a short Charger punt that landed at the Briar Cliff 29 yard line. The Broncos converted a fourth down and third down on the drive, rushing on all plays but one, then junior Kaiden Merryman punched it in from one yard out, as Hastings evened it up at seven at the end of the first quarter.
Hastings blocked a 51-yard field goal on the first drive of the second quarter and later junior defensive back Josiah Aldridge picked off a pass and took it down to the Charger 20 yard line. Junior Dalton Armbruster carried the ball to the Charger six yard line, but was stuffed on fourth and one.
The Chargers took that momentum and scored a touchdown on a 45-yard pass to go up 13-7 with 5:22 left in the half. Briar Cliff was threatening to score more before the half, but senior linebacker Jake Lambert intercepted a pass deep in Bronco territory, keeping it at 13-7.
Merryman took Hastings' opening offensive play of the second half to the endzone, rushing 57 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos were unable to convert on the extra point, making it 13-13. Briar Cliff marched down the field with a 11-play, 66-yard drive, eventually scoring on a four-yard touchdown pass to go up 20-13 at the 6:25 mark in the third quarter.
Hastings punted on their next possession, pinning the Chargers at their own 11. Sophomore linebacker Dawson Kissinger intercepted a pass on the next play, setting up the Broncos at the six yard line. A rush for no gain, an incomplete pass, and a sack led to a Hastings 32-yard field goal by freshman Colton Willmott to make it 20-16 going to the fourth.
Senior defensive back Gio Mendoza got the ball back to the Broncos with an interception at the Hastings 34 yard line, but the drive stalled six plays later at their 47 yard line. Hastings had a promising start to the drive with junior quarterback Carson Kudlacek hitting senior receiver Eli Nappe for a 15 yard gain. On fourth and 12 from the Charger 32, Kudlacek kept the drive alive with a 16 yard scramble, but later faced a fourth and 17 from the 23, Hastings turned it over on downs with 3:03 remaining.
Hastings got the ball back with 1:46 left at their own 25. Faced with a fourth and 23, Kudlacek extended the game with a 25-yard pass to sophomore receiver Cooper Butler. Later in the drive on a fourth and 12 from their own 35, the Chargers closed out the game with an interception to win 20-16.
Kudlacek was 7-17 for 84 yards and Merryman led the team in rushing yards with eight carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Justyce Hostetler and Kissinger led the team in tackles with seven each.
Up next, Hastings will host Waldorf on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 1pm.
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