(Hastings, NE) – Playing its first home game in almost a month, the Hastings Broncos were unable to overcome a 21-3 halftime deficit against Dakota Wesleyan, falling 31-10.
Hastings opened the game with great field position after sophomore Josh Ray returned the opening kickoff to midfield, then tacked on another 15 yards courtesy of a Tiger personal foul. Facing a fourth and two on their opening set of downs at the Tiger 32 yard line, Ray was stopped short.
The Tigers responded with a 9-play, 68-yard drive that ended in a touchdown to make it 7-0.
Hastings was forced to punt on their next possession, but recovered a muffed punt at the Tiger 27 yard line. The Broncos capitalized on the drive, with senior Xander Salyers putting through a 39-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.
In the second quarter, Dakota Wesleyan got the only points of the quarter, scoring a touchdown on a 25-yard quarterback keeper on a 3rd-and-4. Hastings had a great opportunity to get a touchdown in the second quarter, but Ray fumbled the ball just before he crossed the goal line, giving the ball back to the Tigers on a touchback.
With 41 seconds left in the first half, Dakota Wesleyan struck again for a touchdown on a 36-yard pass play to go up 21-3 at halftime.
Dakota Wesleyan kept their momentum in the second half by scoring on the second play from scrimmage on a 60-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-3.
Hastings had a nice drive going on their first possession of the second half, highlighted by a sophomore Carson Kudlacek 45-yard pass to senior Will Austin. They got the ball down to the Tiger five-yard line, but were stopped short again on a 4th-and-2.
The Broncos got their lone touchdown in the first minute of the fourth quarter on a 67-yard pass from Kudlacek to senior Ethan Wilborn. Dakota Wesleyan would add a 17-yard field goal late to seal the 31-10 win.
Kudlacek was 24 of 40 passing for 259 yards and a touchdown, while freshman Deven Brady had nine carries for 29 yards, as well as six catches for 23 yards. Wilborn had 4 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown, followed by Austin’s five catches for 65 yards.
Defensively, junior linebacker Jayden Roberts, who also had 1.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble, and senior linebacker Caden Egr each had nine tackles and junior linebacker Jake Lambert added eight tackles.
Up next, the Broncos will travel to Sioux City, IA to play #11 Morningside at 1:30pm on Saturday, October 12.
