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Defense does it for Broncos in Homecoming win
By Andrew Snyder, asnyder@acnpapers.com
McKinney Boyd (4-2 overall, 2-1 district) got back to winning Friday night with a 28-10 Homecoming victory over Garland Naaman Forest (1-5, 0-3) that saw the Broncos defense drain all life from a normally potent Rangers running game.
“I thought we played great defensively,” said Don Drake, Boyd head coach. “I thought the kids flew around, tackled well and just did a really great job defensively all night long.”
The Boyd defense held the Rangers to 53 rushing yards, well below the 200-plus per game they're averaging on the season. Naaman Forest had 150 total yards of offense and didn't get on the board until booting in a field goal in the third quarter.
“I've felt like all year we've played pretty well in terms of stopping the run game,” Drake said. “That's one of Naaman's strengths and focal points, is to go run the football, and I felt like our kids stepped up and played well and took care of their responsibilities and tackled well. We were pretty productive on the defensive side.”
The Broncos controlled the game from the start when on the opening drive running back Bryan Driskell rushed for 48 yards to break the 1,000-yard rushing mark on the season and score on a 4-yard carry. He went on to rack up 194 yards on 29 carries.
“I think it's outstanding,” Drake said about Driskell hitting 1,000 yards rushing. “He's got the capability to do that. Obviously, he's played a great first half of the season. I'm excited about that and that's a great accomplishment. Hopefully there's a whole lot more yards to be gained for the rest of the year.”
As easy as that first score came, the Broncos had offensive issues of their own. Their four touchdowns were split evenly over the game's four quarters and most of the first half saw them punting back and forth with Naaman Forest. They ended the half by losing a fumble for their only turnover of the night, though they put the ball on the ground two more times.
Those struggles continued into the second half, where Boyd missed a pair of field goals.
“I was really disappointed with our performance offensively,” Drake said. “I didn't think that we played very well. I don't think that we executed very well and that's something that's we've been emphasizing over and over again in practice and in our meetings and everything else.
“I thought that tonight we'd come out and perform better offensively and I just didn't think that we did.”
There were some bright spots, though.
Sophomore quarterback Curtis Ladd was back in action a week after being knocked out of the Broncos' game against Garland on the opening offensive drive, and he looked as strong as ever on a 33-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that saw him cut through the middle of the Rangers' defense, then back outside for the score.
Ladd connected with his older brother, Patrick, for Boyd's third and fourth quarter scores on 19- and 9-yard passes. It was the first time the two had combined for a touchdown and those catches completed Patrick's line for the night.
“Patrick stepped up and had a great game tonight,” Drake said. “When I say I'm not happy [about the offense] that doesn't mean it's every particular play or every particular person that I'm discussing. As a whole I wasn't pleased, but I thought Patrick did some great things. He had two touchdown receptions. The catch where he high-pointed the ball in the end zone for the last score was a great, great play. I'm really happy for him.
“I thought Curtis did some great things with the football; obviously the rushing touchdown he had. I thought he made some good throws, so I thought he played pretty well.”
Curtis completed 13-of-19 passes for 125 yards and those two touchdowns and rushed for 66 yards on 10 carries. Tight end Dylan Dickman had six catches for 55 yards and ended the night as the Broncos' leading receiver.
The win was just what Boyd needed before heading into its bye week.
During that break, the Broncos will have plenty to perfect.
“I don't ever want to come across as not being satisfied with a win,” Drake said. “Winning is obviously important, and I'd rather win ugly than lose pretty. But at the end of the day, you've got to get better too. You've got to see improvement and you've got to get better in your performance. Obviously, we've got a lot of work to do, particularly on the offensive in our execution so that we can perform better the next time we get the opportunity to come out and play.”
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