An early lead once again turned into a lopsided defeat Friday night for International Falls’ football team.

The Broncos led 8-6 after the first quarter before losing 39-16 at Proctor.

Falls dropped to 0-2 in the Sea-Range Conference and 0-3 overall. The Rails improved to 1-1 in conference play and 1-2 overall.

“We definitely did some things better, but we obviously have some things we need to correct,” said Broncos head coach Jay Boyle.

Proctor more than doubled the Falls on offense by tallying 385 total yards, compared to 160 for the Broncos.

The Rails recorded 221 net yards rushing with four of their six touchdowns coming on the ground, including the longest second-half scoring run for 24 yards by Joe Carter.

Falls overcame an early 6-0 deficit when quarterback Gunnar Anderson connected with Josh Owen on a nine-yard touchdown pass. Nick Janttie ran in the two-point conversion to put the Broncos in front by two.

But a pair of second quarter touchdown runs for 11 yards by Jack Nikko and Alex Green paced Proctor to a 20-8 halftime lead.

After Proctor pulled further in front in the second half, Janttie closed out Falls’ scoring in the final quarter on a four-yard touchdown run and a pass from Anderson for the two-point conversion.

Boyle said the Broncos were hurt by injuries sustained in the game against the Rails and as a result will also not have three players — Beau Herzig, Josh Potter and Dillon Cordts — available for this Friday’s home game against Cloquet.

“We just need to keep getting our younger guys experience, and as they get more experienced — the subs that have to play in their spots — we’re going to get better as a football team,” he said.

Boyle said he hopes the Broncos will learn from their mistakes against the Rails to be able to get their first victory of the season against Cloquet, which is 1-1 in the conference and 1-2 overall.

“There were a lot of plays that were one block away or two from being a touchdown, or from saving a touchdown,” he said. “Each little swing of momentum makes a huge difference in the game.”

Proctor 39, I. Falls 16

IF 8 0 0 8 — 16

P 6 14 13 6 — 39

Scoring:

P — Billy Ciesielski 14 pass from Kaz Anderson (kick blocked)

IF — Josh Owen 9 pass from Gunnar Anderson (Nick Janttie run)

P — Jack Nikko 11 run (Nikko pass from K. Anderson)

P — Alex Green 11 run (pass failed)

P Nikko 4 run (Tyler Schubert kick)

P — Justin Radelet 40 pass from K. Anderson (kick blocked)

P — Joe Carter 24 run (kick blocked)

IF — Janttie 4 run (Janttie pass from G. Anderson)