On October 21st the varsity football team defeated the Central High School chargers by a final score of 44 to 14. This resounding win for senior night helps boost the Falcons’ morale, as it puts them back into the playoff hunt. The win moves the Falcons back into .500 as they are now 2-2 in district play.
The Falcons were explosive right out the gate, as the first drive Alec Souimaniphanh punched in the first points of a game. This would then be followed by a forced fumble, returned for a touchdown by Ezekiel Asuega. The second go-around for the Chargers wouldn’t be any better, as Chandler Dubbs would intercept the ball right at midfield.
“That play showed that we’re going to shut Central down and that their momentum is just going downhill,” said Dubbs.
The Falcons would continue this momentum with a one-play drive that had Maddox Allbritton score a touchdown. The point-after kick was no good and with only 6 minutes left in the first quarter, the Falcons held a resounding 20 to 0 lead.
The remainder of the first quarter would consist of back and forth drives ending with punts. The second quarter is where the action resumed as a sack from Dillon Fitzmaurice pinned the Chargers deep in their own territory. Central would eventually have to punt, which set up the Falcon offense for a short drive. The Falcons would get across half field, and Jack Finder kicked a long field goal to add to the lead. Patience was a virtue for the veteran kicker last night, as he says
“What was going through my mind is what my Grandpa always tells me, take your time, be calm, and just like practice, you’ll nail it.”
Although the Falcons responded with a passing play finished by a notable from Maddox Allbritton, they could not score on the drive. The two teams would continue to go back and forth, and the Falcons would have the final chance to score in the half with just a few minutes left. The final scoring of the first half would be via a ” QB keeper” run play that had Jacob Porter run in for the touchdown. At halftime, Timber Creek was ahead of Central 30 to 0. This is the first time in district play the Falcons have led a team going into halftime.
The second quarter proved to be about even for both teams. Central would score their first points of the game 4 and a half minutes into the second half. Although Central halted the Falcon offense, consecutive sacks from Seth Burnette and Jett Lund would force Central to punt. The punt attempt was laughable at best, as it sailed a whopping 4 yards and bounced backward. Timber Creek would capitalize off of Central’s error and punch it in. On what seemed to be a magic trick by Jacob Porter, the mobile gunslinger eluded pressure to fake out multiple defenders, and find Lonnie Johnson in the back of the endzone off a cross-body throw. The touchdown from Johnson would continue to show how well versed the Falcons are, as he would become the fourth unique player to score in the game. That would be the last of the action in the third quarter, as the teams would remain scoreless until the fourth quarter.
In the final twelve minutes of regulation, both teams would score once more. Central would score a touchdown two and a half minutes into the fourth quarter, though the Falcons would respond at lightning speed with a touchdown from Alec Souimaniphanh. This would be Alec’s second of the game and would make him the lead scorer for the night. The game clock would eventually wind out, and with that, the Falcons were champions over the Chargers. When it was all said and done, the final score read Timber Creek 44, Central 21.
For the lead scorer Alec Sauimaniphanh, this game meant a great deal.
“We just knew we had to start off good in the first half and then play through the second, no matter what. We wanted to be the winners so bad and here we are 44 and 14, amazing contribution all around” said Sauimaniphanh.
The coaching staff holds high expectations for Sauimaniphanh, and he lived up to all of them tonight.
“I’m thrilled to death for this kid. He has been given the opportunity to start this year, and he’s made the most of it. It’s great to see him have a great night like tonight. It’s great to see him run and get a lot of tough yards and get in the endzone because he deserves it” said head coach Marshall Williams.
The run game was elusive all night for the Falcons. A great deal of credit is due to the offensive line, who helped create gaps for the offense all night. For senior lineman Caden Curlee, this game set a new standard for the boys in purple and gold.
“All I can say is we balled out. We got a challenge this week by our coaches to be better than we have before, including where we were last week and the week before. I think we really stepped up as offensive line, and as an offense in general by putting up 44 points against against them. They’re a good team, and they got a good defense. Overall, I think we played really well” said Curlee.
This victory pulls the Falcons one win away from possibly clenching a playoff berth. For head Coach Marshall Williams, the future looks bright for the Falcons.
“This is a big district win, and meant a lot to the seniors to show out very well on senior night and I’m just really happy for them. A lot needs to be said for the young men that spent four years in our program and to finish what they started as freshmen. I couldn’t be happier for them, I’m just extremely thrilled for those guys and you know we are back into, into the hunt for district, so we have to get back to work” said Williams.
The Falcons have a tough game ahead of them, as they take on Southlake Carroll in on Friday, October 29th, at the Carroll ISD athletic complex. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. and the Falcons look to clinch a playoff berth.
View photos from the Varsity Football Game against Central High School on Oct. 21, 2021. All photos are available for purchase here.
