Football Upended by Briar Cliff
Sioux City, IA - The Hastings College football team continued an early season trend by falling behind by multiple scores to Briar Cliff but the Broncos were unable to come from behind falling 26-14 on a warm Saturday afternoon.
The Bronco defense was able to get off to a fast start forcing and recovering a fumble on the Chargers third play from scrimmage. Brad Cagle completed a pass to Khamren Davenport but he would fumble as Wesley Jardim (SR/Beaver Crossing, NE) recovered it setting the offense up with great field position at the BCU 38.
Hastings would only muster one first down and would be forced to punt. From here the teams would trade punts until the Chargers went on a march beginning with just over 9:00 to go in the first quarter.
BCU drove to the Hastings 41-yard line when Cagle connected with Elijah Brown for a 41-yard touchdown for the 6-0 lead following the missed extra point.
On its next possession, the Broncos were able to move the ball highlighted by a Tyree Nesmith (SO/Baltimore, MD) 15-yard run and a 17-yard connection from Clark Livingston (SR/San Juan Capistrano, CA) to Calvin LynCook II (SR/Omaha, NE). But the drive would stall out at the BCU 19 where Alex Stogdill (SR/Lincoln, NE) would see his 36-yard field goal attempt get blocked.
From there, the BCU defense kept the Broncos in check while its offense made it 13-0 following an eight play drive and then used another big play on a 68-yard touchdown on its next possession from Logann Freeman pitting Briar Cliff out to a 20-0 lead at halftime.
Hastings had seen this happen in its first two games and came out in the third quarter with that same comeback mentality.
The teams would trade punts throughout the third quarter until Hastings took control of the ball at the BCU 32 following a big 29-yard punt return from Anthony Murray (SR/Aurora, CO).
Two plays in, Tahj Willingham busted through a big hole for 13-yards and a first down. Three plays later, Livingston found LynCook II for a 13-yard gain to the Charger one where Willingham would find the end zone to make it 20-7 following the extra point from Stogdill.
The Bronco defense came up big stalling the BCU offense at the Hastings 45 forcing a punt that went through the end zone.
The Hastings offense went right back to work mounting a seven play 80-yard drive highlighted by a 49-yard pitch and catch from Livingston to Jordan Johnson (SR/Spring Valley, CA) on the second play of the drive. Livingston and Johnson hooked up one more time on the drive on a 9-yard score to make it 20-14 following the Stogdill extra point with 8:33 remaining.
The Bronco defense was looking for one more stop and had the Chargers backed up with a 2nd and 20 but backup quarterback Cole Hanafan would find Davenport across the middle for 17-yards. On the ensuing play, Hanafan found Kwame Johnson for the 40-yard touchdown to make it 26-14 following the missed extra point with 6:27 to go.
Hastings mounted another attack driving the ball down to the Briar Cliff 13 but would ultimately get stopped on 4th down essentially ending the game.
Hastings was out yarded in the game 392-to-276. Livingston finished the game 22-for-41 for 233 yards and a touchdown. Willingham led the Broncos with 35 yards rushing on 18 carries and a score. Johnson finished the game with 73 yards receiving on three catches and a touchdown.
Hanafan was 9-for-17 for 172 yards and three scores to lead the Chargers.
Ross Ostendorf (SR/Gothenburg, NE) led the Bronco defense with eight tackles and an interception. Jardim added six total tackles while Tyler Parthemer (SR/Beatrice, NE) and Tyler Kennedy (JR/Chandler, AZ) finished with five tackles. Parthemer also finished with three tackles for loss and two sacks.
Hastings falls to 2-1 (0-1) on the year and will be back in action Saturday Sept. 22 as Dordt comes to town for homecoming with kick-off set for 1:00 p.m. at Lloyd Wilson Field.
