The Charger football team dropped a close 44-35 contest against the Broncos of Hastings Saturday afternoon in Hastings, Nebraska.
“I am proud of the effort we put out today, but ultimately the turnover battle was the key to the win for Hastings,” said Head Coach Shane LaDage. “Both offenses were extremely explosive, but they won 2-0 on turnovers and it ended in a two possession game.”
In the effort, quarterback Brock Saya accounted for 396 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. Saya’s 384 passing yards ranks 7th most in a single game by a Charger while his four passing touchdowns is tied for second-most in a contest.
BCU also had two receivers cross the century mark, with Cory Carignan recording two catches for 131 yards and two scores and Kymani Fluerme hauling in nine catches for 119 yards and a score.
Steven Whiting extends his touchdown streak to three this season, recording six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.
On The Cliff’s second drive of the contest, Carignan got matched up against a safety playing off coverage on third-and-10. Carignan from the slot ran a deep post and hauled in the pass from Saya and took it 65-yards for a house call.
Early on in the second, the Chargers took a 13-7 lead following Saya’s second touchdown pass of the day. The Broncos showed a quarters coverage defense, and Fluerme was able to get inside leverage against the defensive back and Saya fired a laser for the 28-yard strike. Jacob Schroeder’s PAT attempt failed.
Late in the second quarter and facing one-high safety look, Carignan scored his second touchdown of the game to cut the lead 21-20. In a two-by-two set, Carignan ran a slot-fade against man coverage and out-ran the defender for a 66-yard touchdown.
The Chargers late in the third quarter found Whiting for a four-yard touchdown to cut the Broncos lead to 34-29.
Trailing by two-scores entering the fourth, Saya scampered in for a six-yard rushing touchdown to trail Hastings 41-35 with 10:58 remaining in the contest.
The Broncos chipped in a field goal on the ensuing possession to push the lead back to two possessions.
Inside linebackers Brett Tinker and Brayden Pommier-Williams led the team with nine tackles and a tackle-for-loss. Jayden Byrd-Alexander recorded two pass breakups while Tulsa Janish recorded one.
Matthew Mason rushed for 68-yards on 20 carries in the contest.
The Charger offense gained 470 yards of total offense while going five-for-six on fourth down conversions.
The Chargers will return to Memorial field for the first time this season to take on the Bulldogs of Concordia. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
