Broadneck Facing Rare Challenge To Start Football Season

As memorable as the run of the last four seasons was, when the Broadneck football team made the state semifinals or better in each campaign, the start to 2025 has been, in similar measure, befuddling.

After playing as tough a slate to start the season as one could find — a 21-6 loss at St. Mary’s, a 36-13 setback to perennial power Milford Mill, and a 49-48 heartbreaker against last year’s 3A champ Arundel — the Bruins found themselves 0-3 for the first time in recent memory.

The way they got there was equally mystifying: against St. Mary’s, the Bruins led 6-0 in the second half, but the Saints took charge in the final period.

Against Arundel, it was death by a thousand papercuts: two blocked extra points; two touchdowns called back by penalty, one of which saw a player run on the field for the PAT before the scoring play began; a 96-yard touchdown run given up; a kickoff return touchdown conceded; a dozen penalties, two of which were for personal fouls, and two more for illegal participation; two players losing their helmets, one of which put quarterback Nate Kropkowski out of the game for a critical fourth down, and the other of which drew a penalty when the player continued to assist in tackling the Arundel runner.

“We’re just not good enough to make mistakes,” Broadneck coach Rob Harris said. “Give up a kick return, get a touchdown called back, miss extra points … what are you going to do?”

Though the Wildcats’ Naseem Tention rushed for 274 yards and four touchdowns, it still felt like the Bruins let one get away that was in their control.

“Just little stuff. End of the day, the buck stops with the head coach, and I’ve got to get them better prepared,” Harris said.

Replacing the entire core of the last two years was always going to be a challenge. Though the start to the season was rough, Broadneck has some bright spots, particularly on offense.

Against Arundel, Kropkowski passed for 213 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore running back Gabe Denius burst onto the scene with a 161-yard, three-touchdown performance out of the backfield. The back to whom Denius has played understudy, Aaron Foote, went over 100 yards from scrimmage and scored twice. Aidan Tupper nearly eclipsed 100 yards receiving and had a touchdown catch.

“I think our guys are trying to find a way to win. That’s our goal and we’ve got to keep working,” Harris said. “I’ve got a good group of kids, and they’ll work really hard on it.”

Broadneck rebounded with a 35-7 win over Annapolis on September 26. Kropkowski tossed three touchdown passes, and Alijah Hawkins punctuated a stout defensive effort with a pick-six. The Bruins hope to keep that momentum going with upcoming contests at home against Glen Burnie (October 3) and at North County (October 10).