Opponents have had tough time roping this Bronco

Last year, Lind-Ritzville head football coach Mike Lynch began noticing something about the first tacklers to approach sophomore wide receiver Nick Ashley.

They usually came up empty.

This year, Lynch put Ashley at running back and wasn’t surprised by the results.

The results through three games include 28 carries for 518 yards and eight touchdowns.

“We expected it,” Lynch said. “The kid’s a terrific athlete and we’re not a bad football team. Couple those two things together and good things happen.”

Ashley, who also plays weak-side linebacker, did his part over the summer, gaining 10 pounds to help ease the transition into the backfield.

“I wanted to get bigger so I didn’t get hurt,” Ashley said. “I thought there would be a lot of carries.”

There would be a lot more if Ashley weren’t so efficient.

Fourth-ranked L-R has outscored its first three opponents 115-6 in the first half, meaning Ashley’s offensive output is limited to the first quarter and the first series of the second half.

His output: During a 51-12 win over Davenport, 10 carries, 200 yards, three TDs; in a 39-21 win over Almira/Coulee-Hartline, 12 carries, 121 yards, two TDs; in a 52-0 shutout of Springdale, six carries, 197 yards and three scores.

“I knew that the line all had a year of experience last year,” Ashley said. “I had a feeling we’d run the ball pretty well.”

The beauty of Ashley’s running, Lynch said, is he can beat you anywhere.

“It doesn’t matter where we run him. Against Springdale, he went 74 yards around the corner, and then 89 yards off tackle.

“He’s a team kid, though. I’m not sure the big yards are that important. He doesn’t have that attitude.”

Surprisingly enough, if Ashley had the choice, he’d be on the baseball field.

He pitched, caught and played shortstop for the Broncos’ baseball team last year, which came three runs away from an appearance in the State 1A semifinals.

For now, the focus is football season, a season with tons of promise for the Broncos.

“We expected to be good,” Lynch said. “We’re a pretty veteran team, but we won’t find out until we get into the meat of the schedule.”

“We want to win the state championship,” Ashley said. “Our freshman year we lost to Reardan in the final, 17-14.

“This year, it’s our biggest goal.”