Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

WINLESS SEASON CONTINUES

Kamloops Broncos routed by Raiders in final home game of 2019

Sep 22, 2019 | 7:54 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Broncos defense spent the first 30 minutes of football bending Saturday night, but remained unbroken. That is until late in the 2nd quarter, when the visiting Vancouver Island Raiders struck for the second touchdown of the half and put the game out of the home team’s reach.

“We were in this game,” a frustrated Joe Liberatore, Broncos GM and Associate Head Coach, said after the game.

The final score was 30-9 for the Raiders. The Broncos defense did their job and limited the opportunities the Raiders had to score. But when the ball was turned over to the Kamloops offense, they failed to move the ball downfield.

“It can be demoralizing for the defense if we can’t move the ball,” Liberatore explained, “But it’s a learning experience. We only have two [graduating players] this year, we’re a very young team, so we have to look at the positives.”

There weren’t many of those positives for the Broncos, who finish their 2019 home schedule winless at home. In fact, Kamloops hasn’t won a home game since July 29th, 2017 when they defeated the Valley Huskers 41-8 in their first game of the season. That same season they won twice, as they beat the Huskers on the road 28-10 to close out the 2017 campaign.

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In 2019, the Broncos closest contest has been at Hillside against the Huskers, a game they lost 47-35 in late August. The prospects of getting a win look slim in the final two weeks of the season. A September 28th date against the Huskers might be their best chance to get their first victory since 2017.

For fifth-year graduating linebacker Mixon Madland, a win against the Huskers would mean a great deal as he heads into the final weeks of his junior football career.

“We have a joke on our team that we’re getting rid of Owen – like, we’re always 0-and-8, 0-and-7, whatever – so, we’re definitely hoping to get rid of Owen this week,” Madland said after the loss to the Raiders.

Madland’s wish over the next three weeks is that he wants to leave some of these young Broncos players with some wisdom he’s picked up in his years with the program.

“One of the things I want to hopefully impart to these guys is that you’ve signed on to play this season, no matter how good or bad it goes,” Madland said. “It’s up to you to put your best foot forward to the end.”

Liberatore hopes that positive attitude rubs off on some of the players who could be back next season.

“Most of these guys have four or five years [of eligibility] left,” Liberatore said. “We have to think about how they’re going to play next year and the year after that. We can’t focus on a quick fix. It has to be about developing the players.”