Last Friday, as the North Forney Falcons football team headed to Corsicana for the final Zone B game of the district season they did so with the knowledge that the result of the game would be meaningless for standings or playoff seedings. The Falcons’ 57-25 win against Greenville the previous week, combined with Sulphur Springs’ 28-21 upset of the Tigers the same day, had already secured the top spot in the zone, and a meeting with state #1-ranked Ennis in the district championship game.
The Falcons also went into the game realizing it is still 2020, where one must be prepared for anything. Adding to that, the game was being played on Friday the 13th, and it was hardly a surprise when the announcement of a 30-minute delay in kickoff, due to officials not being at the field, was made.
For a team that is focused on timing, discipline and staying on schedule, though, the delay was sure to impact them. Early on it seemed to affect them as the Falcons’ high-flying offense, which came into the game averaging 39 first half points, was held scoreless in the first quarter for the first time this season.
However, after the officials arrived and the game had been played, the Falcons walked away with their perfect record (7-0) intact. The 42-0 win, the Falcons’ first shutout of the season, started with a defensive touchdown, and finished with a special teams touchdown. North Forney finished with 301 yards of total offense, while the defense held the Tigers to 102 total yards, all on the ground.
“We aren’t going to make excuses,” said Offensive Coordinator Mike Ludlow, in describing the game. “With the delay, after warming up twice, and with only three referees, there was just a weird game flow. Their defensive line was also more aggressive and physical than we had seen on film.”
While the offense was getting on track, the Falcons’ defense was continuing to impress, stifling the Tigers’ offense, and forcing a turnover on downs and a punt in consecutive first quarter possessions.
“We knew that if we could just get started,” Coach Ludlow continued, “we would be good.”
Taking possession of the ball at their 2-yard line following a Corsicana punt nearing the end of the first quarter, the Falcons thought they had gotten their start.
A sack left the Falcons facing a 2nd-and 21 from their 19, when quarterback Jacob Acuna swung a screen pass out to wide receiver Kristian Aricheta. Aricheta picked up a block from Tyler Tucker and sliced his way through the Tigers’ defense, sprinting 81 yards into the end zone. However, a penalty for an illegal shift negated the play.
Several plays later, and following a successfully converted fake punt by Collyn Shipley, the Falcons again thought they had scored. This time it was Acuna, showing his elusiveness in breaking tackles on his way to a 43-yard touchdown run.
Again, the points were taken off the board when offsetting penalties were called on the play. The drive stalled at the 50-yard line and Shipley’s subsequent punt was blocked, giving the Tigers the ball at the North Forney 41-yard line.
Taking over at the 41, the Tigers gained three yards and were facing 3rdand-7 when defensive lineman Nick Acuna blasted through the offensive line, chasing quarterback Ke’Aunte Thomas. Thomas continued his retreat but was finally caught near the 50-yard line by blitzing linebacker Akanimo Ausquo, who knocked the ball from Thomas’s hand. The ball bounded back into Tiger’s territory before safety Antorius Hambric picked it up and streaked 35 yards for the touchdown, giving the Falcons another defensive touchdown, and their first score of the night, with 7:18 left in the second quarter.
As they had done the previous week against Greenville, special teams would again play big in this game. Following the defensive touchdown, the Falcons chose to kick off short into space between lines of the return team. As Tigers’ players pointed to each other to get the ball, it was the Falcons who recovered the kickoff, near the Tigers’ 27-yard line.
It would take the Falcons just three plays and 73 seconds to extend their lead to 14-0 as quarterback Landon Heath, who entered the game for Acuna, would hit Shipley over the middle for a score. They pushed their lead to 21-0 just three minutes later, on a 22-yard run by Jermaine Oakley, and closed the first half scoring with a 3-yard pass from Heath to Tucker with 22 seconds left in the half.
As the offense revved up, the defense continued to shut down the one-dimensional Tigers’ offense which was playing without starting quarterback Solomon James. James, who threw for 164 and two touchdowns against the Falcons last season, has missed much of this season with a foot injury.
With Thomas, and several other players running Corsicana’s offense, the Falcons held the Tigers to total 102 yards. Thomas attempted only two passes, both incompletions.
“On film, we had seen (Thomas) throw the ball, so we knew what he was capable of,” said Defensive Coordinator Ryan Porter of Corsicana’s run-focused offense. “He’s only a sophomore, and the defense we run puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback to make good reads. That may be why they decided to keep it on the ground.”
After the difficulties to begin the game, the Falcons’ offense struck quickly on their opening drive of the second half. Corsicana took the second half kickoff and drove 23 yards, to the Falcons’ 42-yard line, before they were forced to punt.
A short punt gave the Falcons the ball at their 28 and, on the first play from scrimmage, Heath would hit Aricheta running free down the seam. Aricheta would go 72 yards for the touchdown.
Heath ended the game a perfect 7-for-7 for 161 yards and three touchdowns. Aricheta led the receiving corps with 89 yards on three catches, and one touchdown.
“Cheetah and Heath both had really good games,” said Coach Ludlow. “They don’t necessarily have big stat lines week-to-week but they both work hard during the week. It was great to see them have games like that.”
The Falcons’ would close out the scoring on the ensuing play. The Tigers’ Connor Means fielded the kickoff near the 30-yard and veered left toward the sideline looking for blocks. Like a cat jumping from his arms, the ball popped out without being hit, bounced off his helmet and rolled back to the 30, where Hambric picked it up in stride and returned the ball for his second touchdown of the night.
As impressed as he was with his defense, it was their play in the fourth quarter, which has sometimes been an adventure this season, that left the biggest impression on Coach Porter. With the starters mostly resting, the Falcons backups came on and preserved the team’s first shutout of the season.
“Those guys don’t necessarily get a lot of playing time,” explained Coach Porter. “Their mindset was, ‘we need to keep the shutout,’ and they did a great job in doing that. It was great to see the encouragement from the other defensive guys.”
The Falcons, ranked #4 (5A-D2) by MaxPreps, will need every bit of that defense as they take on the #1-ranked Ennis Lions tonight at City Bank Stadium. The winner of this game will head into the playoffs as the district champions.
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