What a difference a year makes. Last season, in the midst of a two-game losing streak, the North Forney Falcons went to Greenville to take on a Lions team they had beaten handily the previous season. After a great week of practice, the Falcons were poised to right the ship against the Lions, and sail into the 2019 football playoffs.
However, in what Head Coach Randy Jackson would call the Falcons’ worst played game of the season, things did not work out that way. Lions running back Lester Turner ran for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns, and quarterback Brandon Stephens threw for 195 yards, and contributed with 3 TD, as the Lions scored 21 fourth quarter points to stun the Falcons, 49-38.
That game, which turned out to be the difference between the Falcons going to the playoffs and not, became the symbol of a season of missed opportunities. It became the motivation for the 2020 season, a season the team has dubbed the Payback Tour.
What a difference a year makes. Off to a 5-0 start, and 1-0 in Zone B play, the Falcons hosted Greenville last Friday night. As it did last year, due of the recent changes to the district and scheduling in zones, Friday’s game also held playoff implications. Win, and the Falcons would control their destiny; lose, and the Falcons would have to defeat Corsicana in the final week of zone play, and hope that Sulphur Springs beat Greenville.
This time, the Falcons did not let the Lions hang around. Instead, North Forney dominated in all three phases of the game, racing out to a 44-12 halftime lead before trading two second half touchdowns and blowing the Lions out, 57-25.
A week after playing what he called their most complete game of the season, Coach Jackson updated his rankings, saying this one, which included key contributions from special teams, was their most complete. The win, combined with Sulphur Springs’ upset of Corsicana, clinched a playoff spot for the Falcons, who will finish no lower than second in the district. North Forney will play Ennis, on either November 20 or 21, for the district championship.
According to Coach Jackson, it all starts in the locker room, where he says this year’s team has special leadership from the players. He points to Ty Collins, who ran for 139 yards and four TD, as an example. Following the game, after everyone else had left the locker room, Collins stayed behind to clean up.
“This is the most fun I have had coaching in a long time. The culture of this team is so good,” said Coach Jackson. “They are not only talented, but they are just so unselfish. They are all willing to do the ‘dirty work’.”
As they have done most of the season, the defense set the tone early in this game, not giving up a yard and forcing a three-and-out on Greenville’s first possession to open the game.
After giving up over 500 total yards to the Lions last season, the Falcons held Greenville to 306 in this game. Much of that came in the second half as the Falcons were nursing their lead. Miles Denson, who is listed as a wide receiver but is also the Lions’ leading ball carrier, came into the contest averaging almost 130 yards/game. Against the Falcons’ swarming defense, he could muster only 66 total yards. Stephens, who combined for 293 yards last season, was held to 172 yards, including 146 through the air, this season. It took Greenville until the 2:11 mark of the first quarter to earn a first down.
“Our new defensive scheme really fits our personnel,” said Defensive Coordinator Ryan Porter. “Last year (Greenville) beat us to the edge. We just didn’t have enough players out there.”
This season, the Falcons did. The Falcons’ defense was disciplined; they were physical. They played smart football.
“(Chandler) McGee and (Donovan) Holt were so physical in setting the edge,” Coach Porter explained. “Our players have really bought into the new scheme. McGee and Holt may not have made the play, but they caused the play to be made. That was really the difference this year.”
After the disappointment of last season’s game, Coach Jackson was proud of the way the Falcons coaches prepared the defense and how well the defense executed this year. Especially on the perimeter, where the Falcons were beaten many times last season.
“After the big plays last year, our goal was to not let them get started this season,” Coach Porter said, in explaining the game plan. “Our defensive line got picked on a little last season. This year they did a great job of staying home, not chasing, and trusting the players around them. (Linebacker) Nimo (Akanimo Asuquo) had a great game in the middle.”
While the effort of some players did not make the stat book, Cornerback Xavier Elder was one of the players whose did. Elder blocked an extra point attempt and broke up two passes. He also had two fumble recoveries, the first of which he returned for a touchdown.
With nine minutes left in the half, from the 41-yard line, Stephens sent a swing pass to his right toward running back Hue Pitts who was flaring out the backfield near the 35-yard line. The lateral bounced harmlessly off Pitts’ hands and rolled forward to the 43-yard line. While everyone on the field stopped, no whistles blew. Recognizing that the play was still alive, Elder scooped the ball up and sprinted into the end zone for the Falcons’ third defensive touchdown in the past two games. That score gave the Falcons a 37-6 lead.
The Falcons’ balanced offense piled up 508 total yards, 249 on the ground and 259 through the air. Quarterback Jacob Acuna threw for 167 yards on 10-of-16 attempts, with two TD, and added 44 yards on the ground, but was not the only player to complete a pass on the night.
Landon Heath came on for much of the second half, going 4-of-5 for 54 yards and finding WR Collyn Shipley (5-73-1) flashing into the middle of the end zone, for a 6-yard touchdown for the Falcons’ final points of the night, with 5:53 left in the third quarter. Heath, facing pressure, scrambled to keep the play alive before he located Shipley.
“Just like we drew it up,” Offensive Coordinator Mike Ludlow joked, after the game. “The funny thing is, because of his scrambling, he threw the ball from the 21-yard line, meaning he threw the ball 30 yards for the 6-yard touchdown.”
Coach Ludlow praised both of his quarterbacks, saying, “Acuna is just a playmaker. He has an elusiveness that can’t be taught, and he is just tough. For Landon, the game has really slowed down. He has really improved his recognition and his calling of pass protection.”
Along with scoring North Forney’s final points, Shipley also set up their first points early in the first quarter.
Stymied on their first offensive drive, North Forney was forced to punt. Stephens, chasing backward to field the kick, had the ball bounce off his hands at the 35-yard line. Trellon Jones was the first to get to the ball and came out the pile with the fumble recovery giving the Falcons the ball on the Lions’ 36.
On first down, LeMarcus Kirk lined up to the left of Acuna in the backfield before taking the handoff. Heading right, Kirk pitched the ball to Shipley, who was reversing left into the backfield, and continued to wheel down the right sideline. Shipley pulled up and hit Kirk, who made a fingertip catch before tiptoeing down the sideline, eventually stepping out at the 8-yard line. Three plays later Collins would power his way into the end zone.
“We’ve been working on that play,” said Coach Ludlow. “We were in a good position following the turnover, so we just decided, ‘let’s do it.’ Greenville brought more pressure than we anticipated, but Shipley made a great throw, and Kirk made a great catch.”
On his way to the 139 yards, Collins had runs of 24 and 49 yards, the former being early in the first quarter where he ran over two defenders and dragged two for nearly 10 yards before going down at the 1-yard line. Collins would score one play later to extend the Falcons lead to 15-0.
“Usually, you have one or the other,” said Coach Ludlow of Collins’ combination of speed and power. “His balance is unbelievable, and his leverage puts defenders in some bad spots. It really changes the game.”
Kam Allen (6-127-2) led the Falcons in receptions and receiving yards, followed by Shipley (5-73-1). Showing off their versatility, both Allen and Shipley had one-handed catches against the Lions. Allen’s catch resulted in a 40-yard touchdown giving the Falcons a 44-6 lead with 6:21 left before halftime, with a defender pinning his other arm. With 2:16 left in the half, Shipley was fully extended as he went to the sideline to make his 8-yard catch and put the Falcons in field goal range.
“Allen and Shipley are two of the best wide receivers I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching,” shared Coach Jackson. “Both make the tough catches and both block like nobody’s business.”
Special teams played a big part of the victory, as well. Along with the fumble recovery on the muffed punt, and the blocked kick, the kick coverage teams consistently pinned Greenville back, giving up only 31 return yards on 10 kickoffs. Running back Jermaine Oakley returned a kickoff 78 yards, to the 1-yard line. Against a team with as much speed as Greenville, those stats are impressive.
“Donovan Holt and DeMarcus Kirk really led our special teams,” Coach Jackson stated. “They were flying around making plays.”
What a difference a year makes. The Falcons are playing their best football of the season and, with Greenville behind them, they will look to avenge last season’s 27-24 loss to Corsicana (2-5, 1-3 in district), as they take their Payback Tour on the road tomorrow night.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.