The Charger football team defeated the Hastings Broncos 20-16 Saturday afternoon at Memorial Field.
 
The Charger defense held the Broncos to 193 yards of total offense including just 84 yards through the air.
 
Max Rascon Jr. led the team in tackles with 11 and recorded a sack. Johnny Bauser, Michael Casarez, and Dayton Harell each recorded five tackles. Jaden Self led the team with two pass breakups.
 
The Broncos forced a strip sack on the Chargers opening drive to get the ball after the Chargers marched to the Broncos' 34-yard drive. On the ensuing drive, Blake Hogancamp recorded the an interception to give BCU the ball on Hastings' 29-yard line.
 
The Charger wasted no time as Brock Saya connected with Steven Whiting for a 29-yard touchdown pass to take an early 7-0 lead.
 
The Broncos took advantage of a short punt late in the first quarter, as Kaiden Merryman scored on the one-yard line to the game at 7-7.
 
BCU in the second quarter used a seven-play 94-yard drive capped off by a 45-yard strike from Saya to Kymani Fleurme to jump back ahead. Jacob Meyer's extra point attempt failed and the Chargers held a 13-7 lead.
 
HC on their first drive of the second half resulted in a 57-yard rushing touchdown from Merryman to tie the contest. The Broncos missed the extra point attempt, and the game was notched a 13-13.
 
Briar Cliff responded with a 12-play 66-yard scoring drive with Saya and Fleurme connecting for their second touchdown of the contest.
 
The Cliff's defense held at the end of the half following a turnover, holding the Broncos to three points as Blake Hogancamp recorded a sack on third down to make it 4^th and 15.
 
Hastings on the final drive of the contest converted on 4^th and 23 to extend their drive. A sack from Rascon Jr. and Phillip Benjamin forced the Broncos into third-and-long. Dayton Harell made back-to-back plays, recorded a pass deflection and the game sealing interception to preserve the Charger victory.
 
Whiting led the team in receptions and receiving yards with nine grabs for 114 yards. Fleurme finished with three catches for 56 yards while Ivan Funderbunk finished with three catches for 50 yards. Ezra Heinier hauled in five catches for 45 yards.
 
Saya finished 24-for-36 and threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns.
 
The Chargers improve to 2-1 (1-1 GPAC) and will travel to Yankton, South Dakota to take on the Mount Marty Lancers in the Catholic Cup. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.
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