Rejuvinated Hastings College football team scores a big 32-13 Homecoming win over Dakota Wesleyan.

It was a thrill to see these former Nebraska High School Football Stars excel at the College level. (L-R) #7 Cody Brandenburg (Central City), Brett Simonsen (Sutton) and Lane Heikkinen (Lawrence-Nelson).

HASTINGS COLLEGE, HASTINGS, NE. (Saturday, September 24th, 2022)

What a difference a year makes. One year ago, I saw this Hastings College team lose to a banged up Midland University squad 35-17 on the first Saturday of November. The Broncos dropped to 2-7 at the time and I wondered where this program was headed, although I knew this team had a brilliant Head Coach in Matt Franzen.

From my vantage point on the sidelines, I picked up vibes anyone would feel and hear from a 2 and 7 football team with one game remaining. Let’s get this over with and see what shakes out during the off-season.

BUT, on this gorgeous, sun splashed 88 degree Homecoming Day, it’s almost like a win was expected. Dakota Wesleyan was coming in banged up with not only their first string quarterback available only in an emergency, but the backup QB was not even assured of being able to go in this one.

I heard the Tigers liked to run the football, however I didn’t think it would happen, banged up QBs or not.

So, in a nutshell, here is what I witnessed today on the field, from my vantage point directly in front of the benches where the Offensive Line gathered after each possession.

I overheard pieces of the conversations between Coach Franzen and the players, and I can guarantee I liked what I heard.

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The Game

The Broncos wasted no time jumping on Dakota Wesleyan. First offensive play by the Broncos….BANG!....32 yard pass hookup between QB John Zamora to Toryian Tubbs. Following a pair of tough Brett Simonsen runs, Zamora finds former Columbus High ace Garrett Esch for a 28 yards scoring strike.

On the next Dakota Wesleyan possession, there’s a bad snap over the quarterback’s head, Kiel Nelson chases the ball, turns and sees a herd of Broncos closing in and kicks the ball through the end zone.

Not only is that a Safety, but Kiel is flagged for 15 yards for the boot through

his own end zone and the Tigers are forcede to kick off 15 yards deeper than normal.

That set the tone for the entire opening quarter. The Broncos would score again on the ensuing possession when Antoine Murphy sprinted 37 yards to the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown, following some bruising blocks by the Offensive Line.

It’s 16-0 after one quarter.

Talk about a dominating opening stanza by both the Broncos offense AND defense.

The best field position the Tigers had in the entire first quarter was their own 39 yard line,the point they began after the Hastings College kickoff following the Broncos opening score.

I’ll be honest here, after John Zamora and the Broncos offense fashioned a 12 play, 96 yard second quarter scoring drive, I thought this baby would be a runaway.

I mean, really, a 23-0 lead with the Bronco defense led by Nebraska-breds like Paxton Terry (#42/McCook), my favorite dude Koby Brandenburg (#7/Central City) and my tough 1000 yarder from Yutan (#22/Caden Egr) completely stuffing the Dakota Wesleyan offense, how could it not be a Homecoming rout?

BUT, the visitors were resilient, putting together a three minute, forty three second scoring drive covering 67 yards, culminating with a beat-the-clock 11 yard touchdown pass from Connor Drake to Kiel Nelson with just 8 ticks showing on the clock.

The 3rd quarter was silent as far as any hint of a score, but an early 4th quarter, 27 yard field goal by GI Northwest place kicking/kickoff/punting specialist Jason Bachle, increased the scoring gap to 26-7 and the Broncos lead looked comfortable to me.

I honestly thought Dakota Wesleyan was running out of gas, but my guess was wrong because the Mitchell S.D. bunch took the ensuing kickoff and marched 75 yards downfield in just 8 plays to make it 26-13.

Now who was tired?

When the Broncos were forced to punt following the Dakota Wesleyan touchdown, things looked like Big Mo might be switching partners, but Jason Bachle changed that in a hurry with a missile-like, spiraling rocket of a punt that hit, bounced and was downed at the ONE yard line.

The Tigers never flinched though, advancing the football to their own 42 before Cody Brandenburg altered the course of the game for good with a brilliant interception at midfield.

The Pick was so definitive and secure that you could hear the football just SLAP his hands when Brandenburg plucked the errant pass out of the air.

On the return, a dazzling one at that, the Central City product went airborne near the Tiger sideline and was given an “extra lift” by Wesleyan sophomore Jamin Arend. The dangerous hit cost Arend and the Tigers 15 big ones, and with the ball spotted at the Wesleyan 27, the Hastings College Broncos were poised to move in for the kill.

It took exactly two plays for John Zamora to find an all-by-himself Garrett Esch for a game clinching 28 yard TD pass.

BALL GAME. BALL GAME.

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Here comes the good part. ALL game, I heard positive vibes coming form both Hastings College offensive and defensive players. When mistakes were made, there was a calmness and always players and coaches figuring out how to remedy a problem that had occurred on the field. There was never a negative word.

ACCOUNTABILITY.

I didn’t see that a year ago on this Bronco sideline. It was there today, an energy and confidence a 4-1 team has going. Defensive players waiting to hit the field again. Same deal with the Offense, a group of young men ready to get back in the action.

There was always a solution, a way for someone to come up big with a big play when the Broncos needed it, however that didn’t happen wasn’t too many times during the game due to the efficient way both units were running today.

ACCOUNTABILITY.

A veteran O-Linemen approached me in the waning moments of the game, asking how I was and did I enjoy the game. I told him the O-Line was outstanding, and his response was “Yes we were!”

Then he proceeded to tell me he was a 5th year senior and WANTED to return this season because one major facet had been established within this Hastings College program.

ACCOUNTABILITY.

That thought was echoed by several players I spoke with when Lane Heikkinen, Brett Simonsen and I were waiting for Kboy Vandenburg to finish a couple of interviews so we could snap a photo.

They all echoed the same word…..Accountability.

A Lack thereof, can cause the collapse a football program, a multi-million dollar company, even a nation. Mighty Dynasties throughout history have crumbled without it.

From what I felt and heard today, this Hastings College football squad has the word Accountability under control right now. No, this football team isn’t there yet as far as establishing itself as a power program, but I can guarantee you one thing if my years of experience and football knowledge are accurate.

This Hastings College football program has a renewed vigor. Rejuvenated if you will. And, they currently seem to have a grasp on that word, the word that makes 5th year seniors want to return for another season even though they have graduated……………………………..ACCOUNTABILITY.

…………………………………...1……..2……..3……..4……..Final

Dakota Wesleyan (0-5).... 0……..7……..0……..6……….13

Hastings College (4-1).....16…….7……..0……..9……….32

1st Qtr………………………………………………………………………………….DW-HC

HC-Garrett Esch 28 pass from John Zamora..PAT-Jason Bachle kick (13:52)..0….7

HC-Team Safety (Kiel Nelson (DW) loss of 33 yards)...........................(11:39)...0…9

HC-Antoine Murphy 37 run………………………..PAT-Bachle kick..(4:08).............0..16

2nd Qtr

HC- Ethan Wilborn 32 pass from Zamora……PAT-Bachle kick..(10:36)............0…23

DW-Kiel Nelson 11 pass from Connor Drake..PAT-Jaxon Drake kick (0:08)....7…23

4th Qtr.

HC- John Bachle 27 Field Goal……………………………………………………..(14:05)...7…26

DW- Jamin Arend 2 run…………………………….PAT-kick failed………….(10:23)..13...26

HC-Garrett Esch 28 pass from J. Zamora….…PAT-kick failed………….(4:01)....13...32

Team Stats…………..Rushing….Passing….Total

Hastings College………179………..210………389 (73 plays)

Dakota Wesleyan………79…………284……….363 (72 plays)

Individual Stats:

Hastings College Rushing: Brett Simonsen 99-26, Antoine Murphy 44-6 (1 TD), John Zamora 29-6, Jason Bachle 7-1.

Dakota Wesleyan Rushing: Jamin Arend 71-19, Garrett Mandolfo 39-9, Connor Drake 7 -(-2), Kiel Nelson 2 (-29)

Hastings College Passing: John Zamora 15-34-210, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Dakota Wesleyan Passing: Connor Drake 20-37-284, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Hastings College Receiving: Garrett Esch 4-62, 2 TDs, Toryian Tubbs 2-51, Ethan Wilborn 3-47, 1 TD, Will Austin 1-16, Jaishawn Wright 1-13, Brett Simonsen 3-11, Antoine Murphy 1-10.

Dakota Wesleyan Receiving: Kile Nelson 6-142, 1 TD, Jamin Ahrend 7-52, Logan Feuerbach 3-44, Preston Nedved2-36, Cole Holden 1-7, Logan Serck 1-3