The Star Valley Braves won their 14th straight game dating back to last season as they ran past the Jackson Broncs on Friday night, 55-7.
The Braves set the tone early as they took the game’s opening drive 16 plays and chewed up nearly eight and a half minutes before Jayden Kunz found pay dirt for the early 7-0 lead. The Broncs barely saw the ball as the stifling Star Valley defense held them to under 50 yards in the first half. Kunz added another rushing touchdown and AJ Hale recovered the pigskin in the Jackson end zone after a snap went over the head of quarterback Grant Johnson and the lead was 20-0 before the end of the first quarter.
Smith McClure put together a masterful performance for the Braves as he completed 18 of 24 passes for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns while also running for 70 yards and another score. His two scoring passes were gorgeous dimes dropped into the hands of Cooper Lancaster (31 yards) and Bryson Nield (52 yards) while his rushing total came on just seven carries.
Nield rolled up nine catches on the night and compiled 113 yards to go with his touchdown. It is the second time this season he has eclipsed the 100-yard receiving threshold.
The running game continued to spread the ball around by committee as seven different players carried the ball but totaled 235 yards and four touchdowns behind the offensive line who came into the weekend plowing the road for the backs at a clip of 7.8 yards per carry.
Grant Thomson finished with 63 yards on seven carries.
The Broncs did find some life in the third quarter as they put together a drive which was turned away inside Star Valley territory. The Braves stalled and turned the ball over on downs at their own 30-yard line and Jackson capitalized with a 30-yard touchdown run from Waylon Cosby who finished with over 100 yards on the night.
After a recovered onside kick by the Broncs, the Star Valley defense erupted with multiple tackles for loss and the offense pushed the score into running clock territory.
Most of the fourth quarter was played by the Star Valley reserves who still found success with Phoenixx Hovey tossing a perfect 32-yard touchdown pass to Preston Ross and Dylan Hirschi rumbling for a 27-yard score. The Braves defense ended both halves with an interception as Riley Erickson notched his in the 2nd quarter and Ross ended the game with one of his own.
It was the 87th meeting between the two schools dating back to 1931. It was the 69th win for Star Valley in the series.
The Braves’ schedule now turns to the teams from Park County as they travel to Powell next Friday to take on the Panthers (3-2) before celebrating Homecoming against the undefeated Cody Broncs on October 11.
Around the West (Scores courtesy of wyopreps.com)
In the rivalry game between Powell and Cody, the Broncs ran away with the game with a 55-14 final which included a 27-point second quarter. Douglas picked up a 20-13 win over the Riverton Wolverines and Evanston beat up Green River 32-7.
In the 2A class, Cokeville roughed up Pinedale during the Panther Homecoming and Worland blanked Lyman 27-0.
