The final game of the season didn’t go as the varsity Falcons hoped as the team lost to V.R. Eaton 28 to 5 on Friday, November 5. This was the Falcons’ season closer, as the team will not be venturing into the playoffs.
This story will be covering only the game against Eaton. The season recap will be published later, as with other sports.
The first quarter was an underwhelming performance for the Timber Creek Falcons. Eaton scored in just 3 plays on their first drive, and the Falcons were unable to respond. Eaton would continue the full head of steam, scoring one more touchdown in the quarter.
Eaton’s dominance prevailed until about halfway into the second quarter. At this point, the Eagles had put up their third and fourth touchdowns of the game with only 6 or so minutes remaining until halftime. This stronghold, however, was dropped when senior Alec Souimaniphanh took over the game. Souimaniphanh would score his first touchdown with 4 and a half minutes remaining until halftime. The Falcons would take back over following a recovered onside kick, and Souimaniphanh would get both his own and the Falcons’ second touchdown of the game. The clock would run out, and at halftime, the Falcons trailed the Eagles by a score of 14 to 28.
The third quarter featured a game of “back-and-forth” between the two teams, and both of them scored once. Souimaniphanh would be the one to score for Timber Creek, racking up his third touchdown of the game. The intensity of the game was strengthened when a brawl occurred on the Eaton sideline and gave the Falcons an extra 15 yards on the drive via an unsportsmanlike conduct flag.
The fourth quarter was rough for the Falcons. Although Senior Kyle Zalick had a great touchdown catch to score the Falcons’ final touchdown for the game, it was minuscule in comparison to the final scoreboard. Eaton would rack up a plethora of points against the Falcons, including an obscure play where the Falcon offense was tackled in their end zone for a “safety”. When it was all said and done, the Falcons were defeated by a final score of 28 to 51.
The final score fails to do justice for the bright spots of the Falcon roster. Great plays from Alec Souimaniphanh, Nate Rosenbalm, Easton Shuldberg, and others helped the Falcon offense advance the ball through all four quarters. The “dark side” defense had multiple plays worth noting, including multiple pass deflections from their secondary. Couple this with tackles behind the line of scrimmage from a front seven that gave Eaton a run for their money, and an abundance of other drive-halting plays, the Falcon defense had an all-around solid performance.
Although the Falcons fell short of the playoffs, this team stuck together through thick and thin. This game is a core reminder that the players truly are a brotherhood, and fought together through the final whistle.
The season recap will be published at a later date, and fans of the Falcons can look forward to reminiscing over the triumphs throughout the season.
View photos from the Varsity Football Game against Eaton High School on Nov. 5, 2021. All photos available for purchase here.
