Broncos slap Mules, eye powerhouse

TACOMA – Lind-Ritzville coach Mike Lynch contends that following the Broncos 36-7 win over Wahkiakum in the State B-11 football semifinals, his team hasn’t given a thought to their opponent next week – DeSales.

“No, we’re too busy preparing,” Lynch said.

Perhaps Lynch missed the cheer in the center of the field by his players that went “On three: Irish!” A cheer that can only indicate that his players are thinking less of their dismantling of Wahkiakum and more about what a state championship would mean with a win over perennial state-power DeSales next week.

“As soon as I went out (late in the second half) I was just thinking about the Irish the whole time,” said Lind-Ritzville’s star running back Nick Ashley. “We’re ready for them.”

The Broncos used the speed of Ashley (122 yards on 19 carries, one rushing touchdown and one receiving) and the arm of Travis Dewald (8-of-11 passing for 201 yards and two touchdowns) to earn a date with DeSales next Saturday in the Tacoma Dome.

In their last four meetings the Broncos haven’t found the Mules to be too stubborn; they’ve won the last four games between the two. And despite the fact that Wahkiakum came in ranked No. 2 in the state, (Lind-Ritzville is No. 3) the Broncos did as they pleased, once again, with the Mules.

After Wahkiakum went up 7-0, Lind-Ritzville wasted no time responding. The Broncos scored on the next three possessions. Jon McPherson threw a 45-yard pass to Andy Wellsandt on a flea-flicker, Ashley cruised in for a 43-yard touchdown run and DeWald found McPherson for a 38-yard touchdown pass, and less than a minute into the second quarter the Broncos held a 22-7 lead.

Perhaps the most astonishing play of the game came in the second quarter. With 5:20 remaining on his own 27-yard line DeWald was nearly sacked but managed to toss it to Ashley who somehow weaved his way through several initial defenders and tight-roped for another 10 yards down the right sideline before breaking loose for what turned into a 73-yard pass-play touchdown. That gave the Broncos a 29-7 lead before halftime.