The Jackson Broncs have advanced to a state championship game after their defeat of the Douglas Bearcats Friday afternoon in a thriller. The Broncs surrendered the game’s first points after they allowed Douglas to take their opening possession in for a score. Jackson answered with a touchdown drive of their own on their first possession, capped by a 35-yard touchdown pass to Henry Herschock from Sadler Smith. After the quick 7-7 tie, both defenses settled in until Smith found tight end Colter Dawson for a 33-yard TD pass, Dawson carrying two tacklers into the endzone with him for the go-ahead score. A perfectly placed ball for wideout Rylan Wehr from quarterback Koby Case tied the game at 14 on a 36-yard touchdown strike.
After a fumble recovery, Jackson put together a final scoring drive behind slow, steady gains from Brody Hasenack. Coach David Joyce dialed up a heavy-set, double-tight end bunched look and played a little smashmouth football against the tiring Bearcats. Hasenack capped that drive with a 6-yard touchdown plunge that was all effort and Jackson had the 21-14 lead with under a minute remaining.
With no time outs left and beginning a drive from their own 20 after a touchback on a kick off out of the endzone by Jonathan Vasguez-Vargas, an interception by Sam Lopeman sealed the win for Jackson.
The Broncs will now advance to a state title game against the top-ranked Cody Broncs. Jackson will be looking not only for its first state championship since 2007, but for revenge against a team that embarrassed them at home just a few weeks ago and took the #1 ranking from them. “I want to play Cody again. That was the worst game for us. We will never play that bad again,” coach Joyce said earlier in the playoffs when asked whether he would like Powell or Cody to emerge to the finals even when a Powell matchup would mean the Broncs could play the state title game at home. “I want to get on a bus. I want to go up there in front of their fans and I want to beat them. So do our guys. You beat us, we want to play you again.”
photo: Tammy-Urkoski-Griebel
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