Welcome to Coopersville Bronco Football

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Bronco football is known for hard hitting, tough defense, and great fans.

Small town football on a Friday night... Ya gotta love it!


This site was built on October 5, 1999

  It's been determined that GR Catholic Central will visit Coopersville for the 1st week of the 2008 Postseason.

  It's believed that the game will take place at 7 PM on Friday, although that will be finalized tomorrow.  We'll post the game info. and ticket pre-sale info. as soon as it is confirmed.

  Go Broncos!

New (10/26/08): There were over 1500 "Computers" listening to the West Catholic game this past weekend, and over 5000 so far this season.  Figure on average 2 listeners per computer and we are proud to have such loyal listeners!  Keep following the Broncos throughout the playoffs on Broncos Radio!  Thanks for the support of our local radio show! 

The Broncos will be entering new territory this season as every game will be broadcast on the internet at www.michigansportsradio.com.

The guys from The Bronco Connection are expanding their business to include 'Live' internet broadcasts of select Bronco sporting events, and that will include ALL Bronco football games played this season. 

Simply click on the link above, select the game, and you'll be listening to the Broncos!  Sponsors are Peppino's Pizza, Northern Physical Therapy, Mark Douglas Five Star Realty, Champs Bar & Grill, Daniels Family Hair Care, Studio K2 Photography, Coopersville Automotive, and The Bronco Connection.  

There will also be The "Coaches Corner" chats that will take place on Monday evenings (7 PM) at Peppino's in Downtown Coopersville.  People will be able to e-mail questions in to us (broncosradio@yahoo.com) and they'll be answered "Live" on the air.   Questions must be received by Sunday at noon to be considered for broadcast.

This will be an exciting new addition to Bronco Football!  Listen often, and please support the sponsors who are bringing this service to the community.

GRAND RAPIDS -- West Catholic was feeling Blue after Friday night's regular-season finale against Coopersville.

There wasn't a hint of sadness after its dominating display of football at Falcon Stadium.

In its first season in a new conference, West Catholic won the O-K Blue Conference championship with a 35-0 win against the Broncos.

Both teams came in with unbeaten conference records.

West Catholic (7-0 Blue, 7-2 overall) finished the regular season with seven consecutive wins after back-to-back losses to start the season.

"I think our defense, more than anything over the last seven weeks, has continued to improve, and it's a huge credit to my defensive coaching staff," said Falcons coach Dan Rohn, whose team won the final City League title last season. "(Assistant coach) Todd (Conrad) definitely has those kids playing well. All week, we preach playing as 11, and they did that tonight."

West Catholic used a smothering defense to buck Coopersville's offensive attack. The Falcons picked off quarterback Brett Pfahler four times.

Falcons' defensive back Curtis Burns had two interceptions, one of which he returned 60 yards for a touchdown on Coopersville's first possession of the second half.

"I saw it deflect, and as soon as I caught it I didn't think I could run fast enough," Burns said. "Tonight, we came out and executed, and we were in the right place at the right time to make plays."

West Catholic was especially stout against the run, and limited the Broncos to 63 yards on 30 carries.

Senior linebacker Max Dunneback had a game-high 14 tackles, and senior Brian Gay was the anchor of the defensive line and also had a sack.

"Tonight we had a good game plan on defense, and we stuck to it," Gay said. "I thought it was going to be a closer game because they are ranked and have a good team, but we dominated. And winning the Blue feels amazing, especially after coming out

0-2."

West Catholic started slow with a turnover and a muffed punt, but a 14-play drive that took five minutes ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Nick Ford to Jake Visser.

Zac Smith's 4-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the first half put West Catholic up 14-0.

Smith, who had seven catches for 75 yards, added a 30-yard score in the fourth quarter, and Josh Sweedyk sprinted 62 yards for another.

"We're disappointed that we didn't win, but we lost to a good football team," Coopersville coach Jim Meerman said. "We didn't make things happen and they did, and our defense was on the field way too long.

"We have to bounce back. We're in the playoffs, so we'll go from there."

The Broncos 42-14 win over Forest Hills Northern sets up a Championship game on Friday at West Catholic.  Both teams enter the game 6-0 in league play, and the winner will wear the OK-Blue crown for 2008.

The Broncos won their seventh in a row after taking a 28-0 lead. Brett Pfahler threw a pair of touchdown passes to Eric Flagg and Taylor Laug rushed for two more scores. FHN's Dan Michaud passed for 82 yards and one touchdown.

Forest Hills Northern (1-7)    0 0 14 0 -- 14

Coopersville (7-1)            14 7 21 0 -- 42

C --Taylor Laug 44 run (Chet Andrews kick)

C -- Eric Flagg 9 pass from Brett Pfahler (Andrews kick)

C -- Caleb VanTimmeran 17 run (Andrews kick)

C -- Laug52 run (Andrews kick)

FHN -- Leighton Watson 83 kickoff return (Mike Sadler kick)

C --Tyler Umlor 7 run (Andrews kick)

C --Flagg 27 pass from Pfahler (Andrews kick)

FHN -- Taylor Wolf 16 pass from Dan Michaud (Sadler kick)

The Broncos won their sixth in a row after jumping out to a 28-20 halftime lead, and finished the game off in the 2nd half for the 42-22 final. Tyler Umlor rushed for 142 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 50 and 4 yards. T.J. McCutcheon passed for 236 yards and threw touchdown passes to Beau Deubridge and Trevor Crittendon.

C--Caleb VanTimmeran 9 run (Chet Andrews kick).

CP--Beau Dubridge 76 pass from T.J McCutcheon (kick failed).

C--Travis Laug 8 run (Andrews kick).

CP--Shawn Jackson 14 run (pass failed).

C--Laug 6 run (Andrews kick).

C--Tyler Umlor 50 run (Andrews kick).

CP--Trevor Crittendon 61 pass from McCutcheon (run successful).

C--Eric Flagg 5 pass from Brett Pfahler (Andrews kick).

CP--safety.

C--Umlor 4 run (Andrews kick).

TEAM STATISTICS/LEADERS

RUSHING--Comstock Park 25-59 (Jackson 10-55). Coopersville 42-284 (Umlor 21-142).

PASSING--Comstock Park, McCutcheon 11-25-1-236. Coopersville, Pfahler 9-14-0-79 .

RECEIVING--Comstock Park, Crittendon 5-92. Coopersville, Flagg 5-48.

TACKLES--Comstock Park, Tyler Jenks 8. Coopersville, D.J. Lillibridge, Ryan Kelly 6.

COOPERSVILLE 55

CEDAR SPRINGS 20

C--Travis Laug 96 kickoff return (Chet Andrews kick)

C--Travis Laug 45 interception return (Andrews kick)

C--D.J. Lillibridge 62 run (kick failed)

CS--Zach Yeo 9 run (kick failed)

CS--Yeo 6 run (Matt Sheeley kick)

C--Taylor Laug 3 run (Andrews kick)

C--Bret Pfahler 7 run (Andrews kick)

CS--Shane Bratt 87 run (Sheeley kick)

C--Caleb VanTimmeren 18 run (Andrews kick)

C--Taylor Laug 17 run (Andrews kick)

C--Tyler Umlor 8 run (Andrews kick)

TEAM STATISTICS/LEADERS

RUSHING--Coopersville 42-379 (Lillibridge 3-109, Taylor Laug 13-107), Cedar Springs 39-232 (Bratt 6-96).

PASSING--Coopersville, Pfahler 5-8-1-96. Cedar Springs 3-10-2-26 (Sam Sanders 2-8-1-17).

RECEIVING--Coopersville, Eric Flagg 3-72. Cedar Springs, Cory Draves 2-13.

TACKLES--Coopersville, Jake Lemieux 6. Cedar Springs, Scott Vodry 8.

COOPERSVILLE -- His first pass was intercepted, but that didn't stop Brett Pfahler from airing it out. In a performance befitting the crown he donned at halftime, the senior quarterback threw early and often to spark a 49-14 homecoming win Friday for Coopersville.

It was the 22nd win in the past 25 games against rival Sparta, and it kept the Broncos tied atop the O-K Blue Conference with West Catholic, their opponent in the season finale.

"Coach is a genius with play calling," said Pfahler, who threw for 222 yards and two first-half touchdowns. "He spread it out, and I just kind of read it. We've got some tall, fast receivers to throw to and that helps."

Sparta (2-3, 2-1) struck first after junior Luke Rykse intercepted Pfahler's first pass. Sophomore quarterback Cameron Cooper threw to Tyler Thompson, who slipped a tackle and raced 73 yards before getting tripped up near the goal line. Cooper took it across on a bootleg to make it 6-0.

But the lead lasted just 11 seconds, as Coopersville senior Taylor Laug burned through a seam up the middle for a 90-yard kickoff return. Then, Pfahler went to work.

On his next 11 passes, the lone incompletion came on a third-down play when his receiver slipped. No problem. Pfahler calmly held the pocket and connected on a fourth-down pass that led to the first of three touchdowns as the Broncos took a 28-6 lead 13 minutes into the game.

Pfahler hit 5-of-6 passes for 74 yards on a 90-yard drive that Laug capped by leaping over a pile from two yards out. The signal-caller later pump-faked a defender and found Caleb VanTimmeren on a 28-yard scoring strike to make it 21-6, then tossed a screen pass to Laug, who picked his way through a host of blockers for a 38-yard score.

"I thought we threw the ball real well in the first half," Coopersville coach Jim Meerman said. "They sent nine guys to stop the run, so we opened it up."

Sparta got a burst of life out of the locker room when Daniel Konkle bounced off a tackler at the line and sped 83 yards to make it 28-14. The Spartans took advantage of Coopersville penalties on both sides of the ball to gain a first-and-goal at the 6-yard line.

But Broncos senior Ryan Kelly dove to knock down a third-down pass and laid out to block a field-goal attempt.

"It was early in the half, and I felt like we had some momentum. We wanted to leave that drive with something positive," Sparta coach Steve Zurek said about his decision to try a field goal. "If the points go on the board and we stuff them again, it's a great call. Obviously, at 49-14, it's the wrong call.

"We just can't find a way to put points on the board."

After an interception return by senior Bruce Veeneman and a blocked punt, Coopersville (4-1, 3-0) added a pair of 2-yard scoring drives to blow the game open.

COOPERSVILLE 49

SPARTA 14

S--Cameron Cooper 2 run (kick missed).

C--Taylor Laug 90 kickoff return (Chet Andrews kick).

C--Laug 2 run (kick failed).

C--Caleb VanTimmeren 28 pass from Brett Pfahler (Aaron Euddles pass from Pfahler).

C--Laug 38 pass from Pfahler (Andrews kick).

S--Daniel Konkle 83 run (Chris Phillips pass from Cooper).

C--Laug 2 run (Andrews kick).

C--D.J. Lillibridge 2 run (Andrews kick).

C--Josh Schumaker 2 run (Ryan Kelly kick).

TEAM STATISTICS/LEADERS

RUSHING -- Sparta 30-166 (Konkle 12-93). Coopersville 35-134 (Pfahler 6-33).

PASSING --Sparta, Cooper 5-19-1-106. Coopersville, Pfahler 13-21-1-222.

RECEIVING --Sparta, Tyler Thompson 1-73. Coopersville, Eric Flagg 4-91.

 The Broncos scored in the first 3 minutes of the game,

and had a 20-0 lead at the end of the 1st quarter. The Broncos did

all of their damage on the ground running up 258 yards. Taylor Laug

had 2 touchdowns, as did Tyler Umlor.

C--Taylor Laug 1 run (Chet Andrews kick). 

C--Laug 13 run (Andrews kick).

C--Caleb VanTimmeren 35 run (kick failed).

C--D.J. Lillibridge 1 run (Andrews kick).

C--Tyler Umlor 2 run (Andrews kick).

C--Umlor 8 run (Andrews kick).

TEAM STATISTICS/LEADERS

RUSHING --GR Central 28-106. Coopersville 51-258 (Laug 9-72).

PASSING --Coopersville, Brett Pfahler 2-6-0-28.

RECEIVING --Coopersville, VanTimmeren 1-17.

TACKLES--Coopersville, Nick Sherman 9.

BELDING -- For the second game in a row, the Coopersville defense turned in a clutch performance.

After forcing six Zeeland West turnovers a week ago, the Broncos' ball-hawking defense came up with two timely turnovers in a 49-28 win against Belding on Friday night.

Coopersville (1-0 OK Blue, 2-1 overall) kept Belding (0-1, 0-3) out of the end zone late in the first half, when Bryan Koster recovered a fumble on his own 5-yard line. D.J. Lillibridge's 45-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter sealed the game for the Broncos.

"I think somebody tipped (the pass), and I just grabbed it, saw a lane and just started running," Lillibridge said. "We just stayed after it and kept pushing and pushing."

Lillibridge's interception ended what was a long night for a Coopersville defense that surrendered 338 rushing yards. Belding running back Zach Watts carried the ball 25 times for 196 yards and four scores.

"Defensively, we struggled for a while, but I like the way our team made some adjustments late in the game," Coopersville coach Jim Meerman said. "(Watts) got to the corner on us a few times, and we didn't expect that. That hurt us early."

Coopersville countered Belding's run-oriented attack with a balanced offense, and had five players account for the six offensive touchdowns. Taylor Laug led the way for the Broncos' ground game, collecting 131 yards on 21 carries, while Brett Pfahler hit 8-of-12 passes for 171 yards and three scores. Pfahler added a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"Coopersville does a very good job of doing multiple things, which puts a lot of pressure on your defense," Belding coach Joel Wilker said. "We fought hard, but they got us on a few plays."

Down 20-7 in the second quarter, Watts rushed Belding back into the game with a touchdown from the 2-yard line. He gave Belding its first lead of the game in the middle of the third quarter, bursting into the end zone for his third score of the game.

"He's just a tremendous athlete and competition," Wilker said of Watts. "He just put it all out there tonight. He's a special player.

"We are always confident that if we execute, we are going to get some yards. That is kind of our tradition."

Watts found the end zone again in the third quarter, answering Coopersville's touchdown pass from Pfahler to Brandon Jansen, to deadlock the teams 28-28 entering the fourth quarter.

A pair of Broncos rushing touchdowns from Pfahler and Jansen gave Coopersville a late 42-28 lead, setting the scene for Lillibridge's interception.

"This game was just what I expected," Meerman said. "We knew it was going to be hard fought. It is every time we come here."

COOPERSVILLE 49

BELDING 28

Belding (0-1, 0-3)   7  7  14  0   28

C'ville (1-0, 2-1)   14  6   8  21  49

C--Taylor Laug 41 run (Chet Andrews kick).

B--Zach Watts 3 run (Caleb Young kick).

C--Eric Flagg 45 pass from Brett Pfahler (Andrews kick).

C--Caleb VanTimmeren 31 pass from Pfahler (kick failed).

B--Watts 2 run (Young kick).

B--Watts 5 run (Young kick).

C--Brandon Jansen 14 pass from Pfahler (Laug run).

B--Watts 20 run (Young kick).

C--Jansen 11 run (Laug run).

C --Pfahler 1 run (Andrews kick).

C--D.J. Lillibridge 45 interception return (Andrews kick).

by Greg Johnson 

The Grand Rapids Press, September 06, 2008

COOPERSVILLE -- Zeeland West had just pulled within five points when Coopersville's Taylor Laug gathered in a kickoff and ran into one of his blockers.

He bounced, though, and then dashed 84 yards for a touchdown to lift Coopersville to a 19-8 non-conference win Friday night.

"It was supposed to be a middle return and it was clogged," Laug said. "I ran right into my own guy, but then just cut back and there was the daylight. I went 'thank you.' "

Laug finished with all three touchdowns for the 1-1 Broncos, all of which came in the second half of a game that was scoreless at halftime.

The senior tailback and defensive back finished with 155 yards rushing, including a 48-yard touchdown run that gave the Broncos a 13-0 lead through three quarters.

Zeeland West, 0-2, suffered six turnovers, including three lost fumbles and three interceptions. The Dux, known for their wing-T rushing attack, also lost the rushing battle 193-159.

They scored their only touchdown on a 50-yard pass from quarterback Andy O'Connor to Joe Gaiser with 11:31 remaining in the game.

Laug's kick return for a score followed 15 seconds later.

"That was a gut-buster," Zeeland West coach John Shillito said. "We made a big play to score, and got the (two-point conversion) to set us up to take the lead if we score again.

"Then you get a great play by that kid. He saw green, and he was faster than us."

Coopersville coach Jim Meerman was elated that his team forced turnovers. The Broncos lost last year to the Dux, and still remember the 2006 loss in the Division 4 state championship game at Ford Field.

"That is what I'm smiling about -- we made Zeeland West pass," Meerman said. "Not to take anything away from Hamilton, but we didn't play well last week. All the things we did in this game, we didn't do last week. We decided we had to get better, we had a good week of practice and a great game."

Shillito thought Coopersville made great plays for the most part on the interceptions, but he didn't like the lost fumbles.

"We had a bushel basket full of mistakes -- you can't put the ball on the ground like that," he said. "Really, we were right there, but they made more plays than us."

HAMILTON -- David Ptacek did damage all over the field.

The Hamilton senior quarterback/defensive back ran for two scores, threw for a touchdown and had an interception return for a touchdown in the Hawkeyes' 30-13 victory against visiting Coopersville on Friday night.

"This was a big win," said Ptacek, who finished the game with 67 yards rushing and 95 yards passing. "Last year we lost to Zeeland West in our first game ... so we wanted to come up big tonight."

Ptacek's first touchdown was a 15-yard scamper on his team's first drive, set up by a 63-yard run by running back Austin Schild.

After holding the Broncos on the first of two fourth-down conversion attempts on the ensuing drive, Ptacek scored his second touchdown nine plays later when he went in from 18 yards out and secured a two-score lead just eight minutes into the season.

"It was a lot of people out there, but Dave did his part, he is special," Hamilton coach Chris Myers said.

"This was a big win for us. They are a really good football team."

Coopersville wasn't about to go down without a fight.

The Broncos' first break of the game came early in the second quarter when defensive back Ryan Kelly made an acrobatic interception of a Ptacek pass.

Three plays later, Coopersville quarterback Brett Pfahler hit wide receiver Eric Flagg with a 32-yard touchdown catch that cut the Hawkeyes' lead in half at 14-7.

Ptacek repaid that favor right before halftime when he stepped in front of a Pfahler pass and returned it 40 yards to give his team a 20-7 lead.

"That interception return for a score really hurt us," Coopersville coach Jim Meerman said. "They took it to us. But we did come back right after halftime and scored, so we were in the game."

The Broncos went on a 12-play, 76-yard drive after halftime, capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by running back Taylor Laug to make it a one-score game.

Hamilton kicker Dakota Sale hit a 21-yard field goal later in the third quarter to push the lead to 10, and Ptacek ended the scoring late when he hit Schild for a 52-yard touchdown pass.

"I can't tell you how hard these kids worked for this,"

Myers said. "We started getting ready for this game in January."

Schild finished the night with 162 yards rushing on 13 carries. Laug led the Broncos in rushing with 108 yards on 25 carries.

by Advance Newspapers

Tuesday August 26, 2008, 1:51 PM

2007 RECORD: 6-0 in the O-K Blue, 8-4 overall.

COACH: Jim Meerman, now in his 24th year as head coach.

OFFENSE: After starting 0-3, the Broncos won eight of their last nine games last year. Now Coopersville is returning four starters on both sides of the ball, including senior quarterback Brett Pfahler (6-0, 165). Pfahler is a good thrower, a three-sport athlete and all-around good athlete. Senior D.J. Lillibridge (5-10, 210) will be playing fullback and defensive end in 2008. Lillibridge is as four-year varsity player with great hands and is a physical blocker. Fellow senior Alex Andrus (6-4, 241) is a skilled and aggressive presence at offensive tackle. Andrus has made a verbal commitment to play for Ball State next year. Senior Jake Daling (6-5, 280) is a strong offensive tackle who is adept at one-on-one blocking. Junior Andy Beers (5-10, 210) started at offensive guard last year and is athletic for his size and has good feet. Taylor Laug (5-10, 165) is a speedy senior tailback/defensive back, while senior wide receiver/defensive back Caleb VanTimmeren (5-11, 165) catches the ball well and is able to run after making the catch. Senior center Mike Wilcox (6-2, 230) operates the Broncos' offense and is a strong leader.

DEFENSE: Senior linebacker Aaron Duddles (5-9, 185) is the field general for the Coopersville defense, and coach Meerman said that he was worked hard during the off-season on improving his strength. Defensive end Lillibridge is a four-year starter on the defensive side of the field. Andrus will be manning the outside linebacker position, and his speed should disrupt opposing offenses. Senior defensive end Bryan Koster (5-10, 220) has good speed and is a strong lineman.

OUTLOOK: "We have good numbers, about 50 out, so we should have quite a bit of depth," said Meerman. "We have a lot of strength up front both offensively and defensively. Right now we're inexperienced in the secondary and in the backfield."