By ROGER JEROME, Sports Correspondent

ASHLAND, Wis. — The Ashland Oredockers used a running game that averaged over eight yards per carry to amass just under 500 yards of total offense Friday in a 42-14 Sea Range Conference victory over the Falls Broncos at Oredocker Field.
“We took a step back tonight,” said Bronco head coach Stuart Nordquist.
After a 41-12 loss to Virginia in Week 2, the Broncos made dramatic improvements in all facets in a 22-13 loss to Hermantown in Week 3 at Sports Stadium. But the Oredockers came out quickly establishing the running game with backs Chris Westerlund and Tyler Jankowski doing most of the damage. Westerlund scored the game’s first touchdown on a 37-yard run early in the first quarter on Ashland’s first possession.
Unable to move the ball on the ground, Bronco quarterback Jake Casareto went to the air and completed passes to Mike Menard and Tim Myles to move the ball to the Ashland 20-yard line, but the drive stalled and Ashland took over on downs. The Broncos nearly scored, but a pass to Myles in the corner of the end zone was ruled incomplete because Myles didn’t have possession.
Ashland went into the second quarter with only a 7-0 lead, but took control over the next 12 minutes. Jankowski scored on a 5-yard run and then quarterback Reggie Habas hit wide receiver Brad Dufek for a 12-yard touchdown pass and the score was 21-0.
The Oredockers then put two more touchdowns on the board on big plays. On a third down, Habas kept the ball and went outside the Bronco containment for a 58-yard score. Westerlund then scored his second touchdown on an 80-yard run and Ashland was in command with a 35-0 lead at the break. The Broncos were unable to move the ball on the ground in the first half, forcing Casareto to pass on third and long situations.
“There interior lineman dominated the game on defense,” said Nordquist.
The Oredockers added another touchdown in the third quarter on a 4-yard run by Jankowski. The Broncos rebounded in the fourth with Casareto throwing two touchdown passes — one to Myles from 17 yards out following an 87-yard catch and run on a deep pass to Menard, and the other in the late minutes of the contest.
“We are hitting people with the breastplate rather than our shoulder pads,” Nordquist said. “That is not the fundamentals that we teach.”
Ashland had 57 carries for 416 yards and Habas completed four of six passes for 70 yards. The Broncos had 24 rushes for only 32 yards and Casareto completed 8 of 26 passes for 183 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
The Broncos are now 1-3 overall and 0-3 in the Sea Range Conference and take on Eveleth-Gilbert in a road game Friday. The Golden Bears lost 20-15 Friday in a close game against Proctor.
“Eveleth-Gilbert uses a power running game and we must play physical in order to stop it,” said Nordquist. The Golden Bears lost 20-8 to Ashland earlier in the season and own wins over Hibbing and Virginia. Game time is 7 p.m. and can be heard live on Broncoradio.com.