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Broncos trample Hillsboro 28-14

Wednesday, 27 August 2008

Photo: Western Brown's Ryan Berry breaks free for a hefty gain during Friday's win over Hillsboro.

By WADE LINVILLE
Sports editor, The News Democrat

Another rousing season of high school football got underway Friday night, and the Western Brown Broncos were quick out the gate to grab a 28-14 win over the Hillsboro Indians. Last year, it took a last minute touchdown pass for the Broncos to escape Hillsboro with a narrow win, but this year it was a different story on the Broncos’ home turf.

Although Friday’s season opener win wasn’t a conference win for the Broncos, Western Brown head football coach Don Sizer was pleased to see his team come out in full force to take down the skilled Hillsboro team.
“Any win is a good win, no question,” said Sizer. “We were fortunate to come out with a victory tonight. Hillsboro is a good team, well coached and a lot of good athletes. If you put in in perspective to win, this was a great win because early in the season Hillsboro is always ready to go.
“We’re tickled to death to come out on the winning end of this one.”
Behind solid blocking and a dazzling set of carries by Western Brown senior running back Ryan Berry, the Broncos were quick to take a 7-0 lead. Berry rushed for 50 yards in the Broncos first possession of the night and topped his set of carries off with a five yard run to the end zone for the first Bronco touchdown of the night. Western Brown senior Shawn Davis kicked the ball through the uprights for the extra point. But the Indians were quick to retaliate, going long to sophomore Airic Steagall. With 7:38 to go in the first quarter, Hillsboro’s sophomore quarterback Aric Carroll connected with Steagall on a long pass down the middle for a 48 yard touchdown, knotting the game at seven.
Typical season opener nervousness may have got the best of the Broncos before the first quarter reached an end. After a sturdy Bronco defense held the Indians to a fourth down and 15 situation late in the first, it looked as if the first quarter would end in a tie, but the Indians were able to recover a dropped punt by Western Brown senior Travis Taylor and took possession near the Broncos’ 20 yard line. Carroll connected with Steagall one more time with a pass down the middle for a 24 yard touchdown with just under two minutes left in the first. Steagall nailed down the extra point, and the Indians held a 14-7 lead with one period in the books.
Defense prevailed for the first seven minutes of the second quarter, until the Broncos rallied behind runs from seniors Taylor, Davis, Berry and junior running back John Moore. The four combined for a 77 yard drive by the Broncos, ending with a four-yard touchdown run by Davis with 4:25 left in the first half.
The Broncos held the Indians in four straight downs to take the final possession before the half, moving the ball from their own 26 yard line to the Indians’ 33. The drive before the half included a 42 yard run by Davis. Despite the aggressive drive, the Broncos couldn’t come up with another score and the two teams were tied 14 up at halftime.
After holding the Indians’ offense to start the second half, Davis broke free for a 68 yard touchdown run. Following the kick for the extra point by Davis, the Broncos took a 21-14 lead with 9:26 to go in the third.
Taylor, who dropped two Hillsboro punts earlier in the game, heated up in the second half to grab three key interceptions. Taylor’s dazzling defensive effort seemed to hype the Broncos and, at that point, there was nothing the Indians could do find the end zone.
“We were looking for a spark, and we asked them at halftime who was going to be that spark,” said Sizer. “A senior kid, a leader (Travis Taylor) gave us a spark and the whole team lit up after that. Next game we just have to come out and do that from the beginning.”
The Broncos put together a 55 yard drive, which ended with an eight yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper by Taylor. After Davis’ kick for the extra point, the Broncos found a little breathing room with a 28-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Davis put together an exceptional second half to garner 117 yards. Combined with his 17 yards in the first half, Davis finished the night with a total of 134 yards in 15 carries. Davis had two touchdowns in the win.
Berry rushed for 83 yards in the first half and 49 in the second half for a total of 132 yards off 14 carries. Berry had one touchdown in the win. Berry also caught one pass for seven yards.
Taylor carried the ball 11 times for 33 yards and scored one touchdown.
Senior running back Clayton Sapp took two carries for 14 yards, and John Moore took four carries for 33 yards.
The Bronco offense out-gained the Indians 357 to 235 in Friday’s bout. On the ground, the Broncos rushed for 350 yards compared to the Indians 93. In the air, Carroll completed 11 of 21 passes for 142 yard, while Taylor completed one of six passes for seven yards.
Defensively for the Broncos, senior middle linebacker Ryan Hopkins took five unassisted tackles and assisted on at least four other tackles. Western Brown senior tight end/linebacker Rob Evans assisted on six tackles and took three all alone.
Senior defensive lineman Hakeem Andrews grabbed three unassisted tackles and was also in on at least three other tackles.
Senior Justin Lawson pulled down one interception and Taylor grabbed a total of three interceptions in the win over the Indians.
Size was one advantage the Broncos had on the smaller, quicker Hillsboro team and when falling behind early in Friday’s game, Sizer and the Broncos focused on the defensive basics to turn things around.
“As a defensive staff, we came out and said ‘you know what, let’s run our base defense. Let’s get a little wider, rush and blitz every once in awhile. Let’s keep this thing going,’” said Sizer. “When you’re down, go back to the basics and it works every time.”
The Broncos will take on Clermont Northeastern at Kibler Stadium in Mt. Orab this Friday. Although the Broncos have taken wins over the CNE Rockets in recent years, the upcoming conference battle is one Sizer and the Broncos will not take lightly.
“I hear their numbers are up. They’re going to be well-coached. They’re very fundamentally sound,” Sizer said of the Rockets. “We talked about this last year. We went in there (against CNE) and they knocked us around like pinballs. Every year they’re tough, so it’s going to be a tough game. We are going to do the same things we do, try to be successful again and give it our best shot. CNE’s kids are always ready whether there are 20 of them out there or 50 of them.”