The Britton-Hecla football squad scored early and often on the way to a big 44-0 season-opening win over Waverly-South Shore on Friday.
Coach Jacob Skotgstad’s crew will face an early-season test when Hamlin comes to town for a 7 p.m. matchup this Friday. The Chargers are ranked fifth in the Class 9AA preseason poll, falling from the second spot after a 46-34 loss to Castlewood last Friday. Castlewood had been ranked fifth in Class 9A and moved up to fourth. Britton-Hecla received 13 votes in the 9AA poll, just three points behind Hamlin.
Skogstad is hoping for a repeat performance from his club this week.
“Defensively, we need to tackle and watch the football better this week, but our overall execution against Waverly-South Shore was awesome,” said Skogstad. “Hamlin is tough, they have a lot of playmakers. Our key will be to execute the way we did in the opener and be the more physical football team. I want to use our depth and really make them work for everything while they are on offense.”
It didn’t take long for the Braves to take charge on Friday. The local gridders scored three touchdowns in each of the first two periods to grab a 44-0 halftime lead. Neither team scored in the second half as reserves played most of the half.
“I was really happy with our execution both offensively and defensively on Friday night,” Skogstad added. “I thought our offense was multiple, which I wanted, and very efficient both running and passing.”
The Braves ran for 178 yards on just 22 carries, averaging 8.1 yards per carry and tacked on another 151 passing, completing 10-13 attempts with no interceptions. On the defensive side of the ball B-H held the visitors to just 84 yards rushing and 41 passing to win the total yardage battle 329-125.
Skogstad’s crew received the opening kickoff and needed just over two minutes and five plays to find the end zone on a 54-yard drive. Third-year quarterback Jace Rein, who completed 7-8 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the contest and ran for two more, scored from the one and Lofton Heer added the kick for a quick 7-0 lead.
The defense gave up a first down on a roughing the passer penalty but then the Coyotes went backwards. Chaz Vietor’s sack forced a punt that hit a blocker, giving the Braves the ball on the 16. Two plays later Ben Suther found paydirt from the eight and the local gridders led 14-0 with 6:41 remaining in the opening quarter.
W-SS managed to gain just a yard on their next possession and the Braves drove 51 yards in five plays. Rein found Mitchell Burger on a 19-yard scoring toss with 1:25 left in the opening quarter. A bad snap led to a failed conversion try but the Braves led 20-0 at the quarter break, scoring on all three of its possessions and not even facing a third down in a dominant start to the game
It was more of the same in the second stanza. After forcing a three-and-out the Braves drove 66 yards on just six plays. Suther took a pitch 12 yards to convert a third down, Burger grabbed a 17-yard toss from Rein, and Nathan Folkman caught Rein’s second TD pass of the game from five yards out.
The Coyotes did manage a couple of first downs on their next possession but Colton Chapin snuffed out that drive with a 58-yard pass interception return for a touchdown, and the Braves were firmly in control 36-0 with 4:58 to play in the half.
Rein added the finishing touches to his night when he scrambled for a 43-yard touchdown with 1:37 left in the second for the final 44-0 margin. Reserves played the second half for the Braves. Lincoln Kilker relieved Rein at quarterback and completed 3-5 passes for 47 yards.
Rein was the top B-H rusher with 58 yards on four carries and Suther added 51 on six tries. Burger caught five passes for 84 yards and Bowen Micko grabbed 3-52. Jack Teveldal led the defensive effort with 4.5 tackles.
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