Eli Heacock runs for a first down in the Broadus Homecoming football game against Joilet, last Friday. Other Broadus players pictured include #51 Landen Capp and #76 Reuben Kinzer.
Colton Biesheuvel with the ball.
Jaxon Bilbrey cuts through a hole in the heart of the Joliet defense, in the photo above.
Baylor Kuhbacher with a punt return in the rain.
The Broadus football team and coaching staff knew going into Homecoming week they would have their work cut out for them if they were going to have a chance against #3 state ranked Joliet, and as the game began on a stormy Friday evening with lightning popping in the distance and rain spitting down from the heavens, Broadus kept that hope alive.
Joliet had other plans, quickly scoring against Broadus as the defensive ends failed to seal the edge and allowed the Joliet runners to drive down the field to score.
With Joliet up 18 in the early second quarter, Broadus had a glimmer of hope return as they pushed down the field, and a bit of a momentum shift was on order. Hawk QB Cooper Zimmer took the ball himself and pushed deep into J-Hawk territory, nearly scoring on the play...which was not to be, as a penalty was called against Zimmer for targeting, as he lowered his helmet to advance through a potential tackler. Targeting is defined by the National Federation of State High School Associations as an act by any player who takes aim and initiates contact against an opponent above the shoulders with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulders.
The resulting 15 yard penalty was a bit of a momentum killer for the Hawks, and a play soon after in which a bobbled pass was intercepted and ran back by Joliet set the Hawks back further.
Soon after a 30 minute delay was called due to close proximity of lightning, sending the teams to the locker rooms and fans to their vehicles.
Throughout the game Joliet showed why they are one of the top ranked teams in the state, repeatedly making athletic catches, accurate throws, and running seamlessly through the Hawk defense in the 68-0 thumping of the Hawks.
"Joliet is a well coached team that did all the little things right," Broadus Head Coach Wyatt Williams commented during a Monday interview.
Joliet is coached by George Warburton, who may be familiar to some Hawk alumni as a former coach at St. Labre, back when Broadus had the co-op BraveHawk team.
Williams continued: "There's not a lot of good points I can say about that game for us. That being said, Joliet showed us where we need to be to play at that next level; you've gotta face those tough teams in order to improve. We now need to push forward and be better."
Broadus combined for 107 rushing yards in the game, and a net passing yardage of -1. Zimmer led the Hawks in rushing, with 68 yards on 18 carries. The Hawks averaged 2.74 yards per rush, and had two interceptions in the turnover department. The Hawks had 6 first downs, all coming in the first half.
The good news for the Hawks is the team is healthy, and Kail Irish was cleared from a previous injury to play this week.
Of special note, before the game Joliet parents presented Brett and Kimber Emmons with a bouquet of flowers and a signed card from the students and staff to honor Cale Em-mons, Broadus football player who passed away in a car accident earlier this year. A 63 second moment of silence was also held to honor Cale, as his football number was 63.
This Saturday Broadus will face Harlem in a non-conference game hosted in Circle, before returning to conference play at home against Park City.
Broadus now has a 2-2 overall record, with Joliet taking top honors at 3-0, Forsyth has a 2-1 overall record as they beat Park City 22-12 last weekend. Park City sits at 1-3, and St. Labre and Lodge Grass are both 0-2.
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