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Broncos fumble away season opener

Ray DiMonda
Posted 8/31/17

MIDDLEBURG – Middleburg Bronco Head Coach Karl Smeltzer summed it up post-game; “Two turnovers before we ever got our Offense’ hands on the ball.”

Middleburg High was looking for a …

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Broncos fumble away season opener


Posted

MIDDLEBURG – Middleburg Bronco Head Coach Karl Smeltzer summed it up post-game; “Two turnovers before we ever got our Offense’ hands on the ball.”

Middleburg High was looking for a promising 2017 opener after a playoff season last year, a handful of quality returners and a winning attitude from a strong summer of preparations.

Unfortunately, the Broncos would turn the ball over four times in the first half on their way to a blistering 44-13 home opener loss against the visiting 5A-Pedro Menendez High School Falcons.

“Really it was one of those nights where if it could go wrong, it did go wrong, but that’s no excuse” said Smeltzer. “I guess I didn’t have them ready to play, so I’ll take the blame for this and we’ll come back to work Monday.”

Middleburg’s road does not get easier as the Broncos host 5A-Clay High on Friday to face the Blue Devils a week after their rivalry thrashing from Fleming Island High, 27-6.

After losing the coin toss and having to receive the opening kickoff, Middleburg receiver Bryce Donaldson caught the ball deep and began his march out to open field only to cough up the ball and give Menendez first down in the red zone.

With the first set of downs, the Falcons picked apart the Broncos with runs on the inside; putting the first points on the board. With the failed attempt for two, it was 6-0 with 10:37 left in the first.

On the ensuing kickoff, Menendez again targeted Donaldson. This time he took it up the right sideline and made it out to the 40 before once again having the ball stripped out and turned over.

Menendez ran their way down the field until the Broncos held them to a fourth and 13. From 29 yards out, the Falcons easily hit a field goal making it 9-0 with 8:15 still left in the first quarter.

The Falcons took advantage of what they saw early; Middleburg over-pursuing on the initial look. The Falcons continued to roll out, look like they would pass, and the quarterback take off running. The Falcons moved the ball at will and drove down the field once again. From the 12 yard-line, Menendez went into a Power-I formation and ran up the middle of the Bronco defense for another score putting it 16-0 with 2:04 left in the quarter.

“Frustrating; because that’s what we built this thing on, Character,” said Smeltzer. “Discipline and character; responsibility, accountability and none of that was there tonight and that’s what frustrates me the most.”

With 11:41 to go in the second quarter, the Falcons went on the march and from the 8-yard line, gave a look as if they would pass, saw Middleburg drop back, and tucked the ball to run in for yet another score.

With the point after, the Broncos were down 23-0.

As the Broncos began to build some momentum, they turned the ball over again. With 6:05 left until halftime, the Falcons would run and score. After the extra point, the Broncos were down 30-0.

With 3:07 left until the half and Middleburg needing any kind of spark to get things going, the Falcons looked to pass deep. Middleburg safety Colin Henderson was poised and ready. He came down with the interception and began running to the end zone. As he was caught, the ball came out. Penalty flags were everywhere. It appeared his knee may have touched before the fumble and the officials conferred for about four minutes. When it was all said and done, there was a personal foul and the Falcons would play the down over. It was just this kind of night.

With 8:02 left in the third, the Broncos finally got a break they needed. Tailback Andrew Thomas would take the kick after a Falcons score and bring it down the field 96 yards to get the Broncos on the board. The two-point attempt was no good, but the Broncos finally had their first points of the season.

“We’ve got some players on this team, although it didn’t show it tonight,” said Smeltzer. “I was really frustrated that we didn’t run the ball; we couldn’t run the ball better than we did in the first half. But when you turn the ball over all the time, and we had four turnovers in the first half… Every time we had something good going, we shot ourselves in the foot. That has got to stop if we even think we are going to be a contender.”

The Broncos would put their final points on the board with 8:08 left in the fourth, Bronco quarterback Garrett Blanchett would find Malik Ally in the corner of the end zone. Ally had to get some air and came down with the ball. After the point after, it was 31-13. Pedro Menendez would score once more with first and 15. A handoff up the middle would stump the Broncos and run in for the final score of the game, 44-13.