Defense Lifts Football to Comeback Win Over Concordia

Seward, NE – It was a wild day for the Hastings College football team as missed opportunities created a hole for the Broncos. Fortunately, the defense stepped up big time as Hastings erased a 15 point second half deficit to defeat the Bulldogs 21-17 on Saturday afternoon.

Concordia forced a quick three-and-out against Hastings and took the ensuing possession 50 yards in nine plays. A Ty Harold 21-yard field goal gave the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

The Bronco offense then marched into plus territory until a fourth and two where Brett Simonsen was stopped short of the line. The Bulldogs answered immediately with a seven play, 66-yard drive capped off as Austin Jablonski connected with Korrell Koehlmoos. With 2:01 remaining in the first quarter, Concordia led 10-0.

On its next possession, Concordia nearly stopped the Bronco offense until a low snap on the punt attempt sent Jason Bachle scrambling. He eluded tacklers to get the first down and continue the drive. Hastings moved the ball down to the one-yard line, but the Bulldogs kept the Broncos from scoring with a goal line stand.

After the Bronco front line stymied the Bulldogs' rush on first down, it got into the back field, taking Carter Seim down in the end zone for the safety. Early in the second quarter, the Bulldogs continued to lead 10-2 – a score that would remain into the third quarter.

Concordia's first possession of the second half was like the first –  a success as Jablonski connected with Koehlmoss for a touchdown. Hastings now faced a 17-2 deficit.

The Broncos were unfazed, however, as Koby Brandenburg stepped in front of the Jablonski pass, intercepting it at the CUNE 35.

From here, Hastings slowly moved into the red zone. On third and goal from the nine, John Zamora scrambled all the way to the end zone, breathing some life into the Bronco sideline. Following Bachle's extra point, the Broncos trailed 17-9.

The defense came up big on the next possession as Caden Egr chased down Jablonski, already facing a third and 12, for a huge sack at the Bulldog 20, forcing a punt into the wind. Garrett Esch made a fair catch at the HC 45 and two plays later, Zamora hit a streaking Toryian Tubbs for the 54-yard touchdown. Hastings missed the two-point conversion and now trailed 17-15 with 4:32 to go in the third.

After the teams traded possessions, Concordia turned to its back up quarterback, DJ McGarvie. He completed what seemed to be a harmless one yard pass to Cole Coffey until Blake Vaughn stripped the ball loose before Coffey hit the ground, allowing an alert Jayden Roberts to pounce on it setting the Broncos up in great field position at the CUNE 17.

Hastings didn't wait long. Zamora threw a perfectly placed fade to the back pylon where Esch pulled it down for the touchdown. Although the two-point conversion failed, the Broncos now held a 21-17 lead.

Now it was the defense's turn to shine as Brandenburg broke up a pass on second down that would have been enough for a Concordia first down. On the ensuing third down, Arjee Mack-Myers jumped the pass in the flat, taking down Devin Zeigler for a four-yard loss and forcing another Bulldog punt.

Concordia got the ball back with 9:42 to go, but when McGarvie completed a pass to Carsen Arline, Blake Vaughn stripped the ball and Carlo Terrell jumped on it. The offense had great field position once again, now at the CUNE 35.

Hastings would be unable to get anything going on offense but pinned the Bulldogs back at their own nine yard line with 7:22 to play.

This time, Concordia marched to the Hastings 24 where it faced a third and seven. Once again, the Bronco defense was up for the task as Beasley Ihegworo sacked McGarvie back at the 28. On fourth and 11, McGarvie was unable to find an open Bulldog as the Hastings defense held strong. The Broncos' offense took over with 4:49 to go.

The Broncos caught a break facing a fourth and one at its own 37. It appeared as if Hastings was trying to draw the Bulldogs offside, and when the left end moved a bit, the ball was snapped. Zamora sent a deep ball to only one player, Concordia's Isiaha Conner, who intercepted it and was taken down by a very good tackle by Tubbs at the CUNE 27. Without the interception and tackle, Concordia would have had the ball at the Hastings 37 with 3:17 to go.

The Bronco defense dug deep as Carlo Terrell deflected a McGarvie pass. On fourth and four of that series, McGarvie couldn't find an open receiver as the Broncos forced another turnover on downs.

Hastings took over with 2:55 to go and picked up a huge first down when Zamora connected with Esch on third and 10 immediately after the Bulldogs used up two of its timeouts. Hastings moved the ball to the Bulldog 14 where Head Coach Matt Franzen chose not to kick the field goal on fourth and seven but instead called a fade to Tubbs. Although Tubbs caught the ball, one of his toes was on the end line, and Concordia took over on its own 14 with just :28 to go.

Thanks to pass plays and a pass interference, the Bulldogs moved the ball to the Hastings 46. The Bulldogs looked for a Hail Mary opportunity, but Tyler Pawloski got to the quarterback just as he released the ball, sending the football out of bounds around the 10. Thus, Hastings came away with the 21-17 victory.

Hastings finished the game with 294 yards of offense while CUNE had 322. Zamora passed for 18-for-33 for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 48 yards and a score.

The big stat: timely turnovers as Hastings forced four compared to two for Concordia. Hastings scored 13 points off of two turnovers which proved to be pivotal in the second half. Tubbs led the way at wideout with 68 yards and a touchdown.

Mason Catterson and Brandenburg each finished with seven total tackles, but it was the team's 15 total tackles for loss that highlighted how well this defense played. Egr finished with 2.5 tackles for loss while Laython Shaw, Harrison Udeh and Catterson each had 1.5 tackles for loss. Vaughn's two forced fumbles are a career high. The sophomore from Fort Collins, Co, also had five tackles f.

Hastings is now 3-1 (2-1) on the year and will be back in action Saturday Sept. 24 the Broncos host Dakota Wesleyan for Homecoming. Kickoff set for 1:00 pm on Lloyd Wilson Field.