By Stephanie Zwick
Friday night football in Limon opened with a delay on August 28th, as storms pushed back warmups by 40 minutes before the Badgers took on the Rye Thunderbolts. Once the rain passed, the teams got underway and the Badgers quickly found their rhythm.
After the delay, the Badgers settled in quickly, using their running game and defense to take control before Rye could build momentum.
The Badgers started with the ball and tested the run game early. Camdyn Tacha opened with a two-yard carry before Liam Yoder broke loose for 34 yards, giving the Badgers their first big gain of the night. Rye answered quickly, however, with an interception that gave the Thunderbolts possession.
The Badgers defense went right to work, making big stops and keeping Rye from gaining momentum. Yoder helped slow the Thunderbolts early, while Carlos Nunez and Nelson Sontay also came up with key stops. Rye managed a first down, but Riley Davis and Sontay helped stall the drive, and a blindside block penalty pushed the Thunderbolts backward. Parker Harris and Davis were in on the next stop, and Davis and Nunez teamed up for a sack that forced Rye to punt. Waiting deep was Yoder, who returned the punt 44 yards to put the Badgers in strong field position.
A holding penalty was called against the Badgers as Brady Trim had a great run putting the Badgers near the end zone. However the ball came loose on the next play giving it back to the thunderbolts but Carlos Nunez was there for the stop. Again penalties were key as they pushed Rye back.
Rye opened the second quarter by turning to the passing game, but incomplete passes forced the Thunderbolts into a punt. Yoder took advantage, returning the ball 60 yards for the Badgers. Tacha followed with a 15-yard run to the 1-yard line, then walked in untouched on the next play for the touchdown. Roberto Sontay added the extra point to give the Badgers a 7-0 lead.
On the kickoff, Ben Carr and Tacha quickly stopped the return for a two-yard loss. The Badgers then created a fumble and recovered it thanks to Maceal Berry, but Rye answered on the very next play by forcing and recovering a fumble of its own. Nelson Sontay and Berry made big stops on the next two plays, forcing Rye back into the passing game. The pass fell incomplete, and Yoder stepped in front of the next throw for a 40-yard pick-six. Roberto Sontay added the extra point to put the Badgers ahead 14-0.
Again Carlos Nunez and Parker Harris were in for the stop controlling the Thunderbolts advance. Yoder would stop the run at the one yard line but Rye would score their firs touchdown of the game. When the Thunderbolts attempted the extra point kick it was blocked by the Badgers.
On the kickoff, the Badgers called for a fair catch, but Rye pulled down one of the Badgers after the play was over. A penalty moved the ball back, but Tacha quickly went to work and picked up a first down. The Badgers were then called for a false start, pushing them back again. Quarterback Joe White carried the ball for 10 yards, and Tacha added five more yards for another first down. White’s pass to Yoder fell incomplete, and the Badgers went into halftime leading 14-6.
As the third quarter started, Davis made a good stop after a short kickoff. Rye’s long pass fell incomplete, giving the ball back to the Badgers. Despite their effort, Rye quickly forced the Badgers into a punt. Carr and Sontay made stops on Rye’s runners, and more incomplete passes soon gave the Badgers the ball back again.
The Badgers would push the run game with Tacha but then attempted passes from white to Tacha being incomplete Yoder would run the ball for five yards before white would connect with grant Masterson for a completed pass of 35 yards. Tacha would run the ball 6 yards for a touchdown allowing Sontay to come out for the extra point kick putting the Badgers up 21 to 6.
Rye quickly tried to get its run game going, but Sontay and Harris came up with a big stop. The Badgers soon had the ball back, and Tacha carried for 24 yards. Yoder added a short four-yard gain before breaking free for a 25-yard touchdown run. Sontay’s kick was good, putting the Badgers ahead 28-6.
Dylan Rockwell made a big stop for the Badgers as the fourth quarter began. Parker Harris also stepped up with a stop, and Charlie Hoose and Yoder were in on the next tackle. Carlos Nunez pressured the Rye quarterback and chased him out of bounds, while Stockton Waneka added a sack later in the drive. Rye eventually moved down the field and scored a touchdown, then added a two-point conversion. The Badgers still led 28-14 with 8:43 left in the fourth quarter.
White looked for Rockwell, but the pass popped out of his hands incomplete. White then connected with Tacha, but the Badgers came up short of the first down and gave the ball back to Rye. The Badgers defense answered with one final stand, led by Berry and a series of broken-up pass plays. White also got in on the stops, helping force Rye to lose three yards. The Badgers took over to close the game, with Tacha carrying for 10 yards, Brady Trim adding a five-yard run and Yoder rushing for 12 before the Badgers finished in victory formation. The game ended with a 28-14 Badgers win.