The Ballard football team battled to the wire Friday night at Richard Strouse Field but came up just short, falling to Gilbert 32–29 in a back-and-forth district matchup.

Junior quarterback Bryce Miller led the Bombers' offense with an efficient night through the air, completing 10 of 14 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns, both to senior Easton Ersland, who caught three passes for 70 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown strike.

On the ground, Ballard moved the ball effectively, rushing for 141 yards as a team.  Senior Dillon Shoen powered in for a touchdown, while junior Jack Plucar added another score.  Miller also picked up 46 yards rushing, keeping Gilbert's defense off balance throughout the night.

Defensively, the Bombers forced three fumbles, with Jake Clement, Trent Baker, and Cole Berka each recovering one.  Kanen DeYoung and Leif Jorgensen both recorded sacks, while Dillon Shoen led the team with 10 solo tackles in another strong two-way performance.

Ballard matched Gilbert score-for-score through three quarters, but a fourth-quarter defensive stand by the Tigers sealed the narrow win.

With the loss, Ballard moves to 1–6 overall and 1–2 in district play.  The Bombers will look to bounce back next week when they travel to Bondurant-Farrar on Friday, October 17, for a 7:00 PM kickoff in another key district matchup.

Photo Credit: Davidson Photography