The Bomber football team faced a challenging match against the ADM Tigers on Friday night, falling 28-10 in Class 4A District 5 action.

The first half of the game was a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm.  The Tigers managed to gain the upper hand, scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter to take a commanding 14-0 lead by halftime.  The Bombers' offense, while moving the ball, was unable to convert those drives into points.

In the second half, the Bombers made some adjustments and found their footing.  Senior quarterback Mason Gatchel connected on 12 of 26 passes for 63 yards but faced pressure from the Tigers' defense, which resulted in two interceptions.  Despite the setbacks, Gatchel managed to contribute on the ground, rushing for 35 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

Ballard's rushing attack was led by senior Tucker Vitzthum, who had an impressive game with 73 yards on nine carries, averaging 8.1 yards per attempt.  Rhett Hedrick also made significant contributions on the ground, adding 31 yards on nine carries.  Overall, the Bombers accumulated 164 rushing yards on 36 attempts, finding some success despite the challenging conditions.

The Bombers' lone score came in the third quarter when Gatchel plunged into the end zone, cutting the deficit to 14-10.  However, ADM responded swiftly, scoring two more touchdowns in the final quarter to seal their victory.

Defensively, Ballard showed resilience, highlighted by Jackson Wacha's standout performance, racking up a game-high 10 tackles, including two for loss.  Dillon Shoen also had a solid game with seven total tackles and one tackle for loss, contributing to a team total of 47 tackles and 11 tackles for loss.

With this loss, the Bombers' record now stands at 3-4 overall and 1-2 in district play, as they prepare for an upcoming matchup against Des Moines North on Thursday, October 17, at 7:00 PM.

Photo Credit: Alaina Severson