Toon’s Pick Six Opens up the Flood Gates in the 2nd Half as the Falcons Top Utica 34-6 in First Home Game

PLAY OF THE GAME

The score was 13-6 the Falcons were leading with 5:37 left in the third quarter. Utica was mid drive with the ball on the Falcon 47 yard line, when senior cornerback Collin Toon undercut a route and received the pass right into his lap. There was no Chieftain within 10 yards of Toon as he raced it to the house and turned the tide in the game.

PRE GAME

On Friday, September 7th the Falcons entered the stadium with a moment of silence for the former Head Varsity Football coach Todd Koehn who passed away over the summer. Senior captains carried flags during the entrance. The first, an American Flag (the first home game theme was ‘USA Day’), the second, was the student section’s ‘Falcon Seniors’ flag, the third, was the Varsity football ‘HFII Wrecking Crew’ flag, and lastly, and the biggest of them all, was a flag of a black and white checkered fedora famously worn by old Alabama Head Football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.

“I always keep it in my mind, this is what I want to be like, and how I want to treat my life like everyday,” senior and captain Chance Kirkwood referring to the Bear Bryant “A New Day” poem that Coach Koehn first introduced him to. The poem reads:

“This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can

waste it or use it for good. What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a

day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving

something in its place I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss — good, not evil.

Success, not failure in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it.”

Bryant was somebody Coach Koehn admired and wanted his players idol as well. Bryant always had the poem on his personnel, most of the time in his wallet, and he read it to his players before practices, and games.

SCORING PLAYS

3-0; The scoring was opened up by the Falcons on the first drive of the game at 6:07 in the first quarter with a field goal by junior Jeremy Taras after the Falcons failed to punch the ball into the endzone from the 1 yard line twice.

3-6; Utica’s Zack Keen connected with receiver Christian Gogovic for a 46 yard touchdown with 5:19 in the 2nd quarter for their only score of the game.

10-6; With 18.4 seconds left in the half Kirkwood completed a 2 yard pass to junior Taveon Thompson for the Falcons’ first touchdown of the season.

13-6; In the 3rd quarter with 8:42 left Taras drilled a 44 yard field goal.

20-6; PickSix by Toon with 5:37 left in the 3rd quarter.

27-6; 1 yard touchdown run by senior Alex Wells with 8:36 in the 4th quarter.

34-6; 8 yard touchdown run by Wells with 4:25 left in the final quarter.

KEY STATS

DEFENSE

#51 junior Austin Mayer led the defense in tackles with 3, and also had 3 assists

#55 junior Brendan Anderson 2 tackles, and 4 assists

#67 senior Nick DiDonato 2 tackles, and 1 assist

#10 senior Collin Toon 1 Interception

#1 junior Joey Sorgi III 1 Interception, and 1 tackle

#5 senior Hunter Osantowske led the team with 5 assists, while recording 1 tackle

PASSING

#2 senior Chance Kirkwood 8/16, 104 yards, 1 TD

RUSHING

#30 senior Alex Wells 13 attempts, 62 yards, 2TDs

#24 senior Frank Stultz 10 attempts, 38 yards

#2 senior Chance Kirkwood 8 attempts, 36 yards

#52 senior Nathan George 2 attempts, 8 yards

RECEIVING

#14 junior Taveon Thompson led the team with 4 receptions, 43 receiving yards, 1 TD

#1 junior Joey Sorgi III 2 receptions, 36 receiving yards

#4 senior Hunter Osantowske 1 reception, 14 yards

#7 junior Evan Plets 1 reception, 11 yards

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Falcons’ look to follow up their first win in their next conference game Friday, September 14th @ (2-1) L’Anse Creuse North.