With district standings and playoff positions already locked in, last Thursday’s game against the Royse City Bulldogs was billed as a playoff prep game against the third best team in District 8-5A (II). However, as has happened so many times this season, the Falcons combined their power run game with a dominant defensive performance to blow out the Bulldogs, 43-14.
The #7-ranked Falcons, who lost their first game of the season to #1-ranked Ennis two weeks prior, finished the regular season 8-1 overall and second in District 8-5A (II) with a 5-1 record. North Forney will enter the playoffs averaging 45 points/game in their seven district games, while giving up only 19 on defense. District third seed Royse City finished the regular season at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in district.
“We played one of our better games,” said Head Coach Randy Jackson. “We played with lots of energy and had only one penalty. Royse City has an explosive offense. Our defense did an outstanding job of limiting their big plays.”
Behind running back Ty Collins’ 208 rushing yards and two touchdowns, the Falcons rolled up 533 total yards against an outmatched Bulldogs’ defense. Quarterback Jacob Acuna who was called upon to throw the ball only 15 times, completed 8 passes for 137 yards and a 13-yard touchdown to Kam Allen. Acuna also ran the ball eight times for 88 yards, with two touchdowns on the ground. Allen’s third quarter touchdown catch was one of his 5 catches for 97 yards to lead the Falcons.
Against the previously 13th-ranked Bulldogs, North Forney gave up a touchdown in their first defensive series before settling in to take a 29-7 halftime lead.
How dominant was the Falcons’ first half defense? Between their first touchdown, on the first series of the game, and their missed field goal attempt as time was winding down in the first half, the Bulldogs had the ball four times and ran exactly 25 plays. Fourteen of the 25 plays were for no gain or negative yards, and only four of those plays were run in North Forney territory. The Falcons forced punts on three consecutive Bulldogs’ possessions before the missed field goal.
To further illustrate the point, Royse City gained 103 yards on two plays in the first half. They finished the game with 267 total yards. Quarterback Joe Veracruz, who came into the game completing nearly 75% of his passes for just over 225 yards/game, was held to 106 yards on 6-for-12 passing. The Bulldogs had averaged over 260 rushing yards/game before meeting the Falcons but could muster only 161, including a 46-yard first half run by Sam Mitchum, against North Forney’s stingy defense.
Royse City was also hurt by nine penalties for 62 yards.
“(Ketron) Jackson is an Arkansas commit, so obviously he’s good, but he’s not their only playmaker,” said Defensive Coordinator Ryan Porter. “You can’t just focus on one guy. I thought we did a really good job of containing them.”
The Bulldogs took a 7-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the game on a 57-yard connection from Veracruz to Ketron Jackson, who raced past cornerback Xavier Elder down the left sideline for the score.
“We were trying to get (DeMarcus) Kirk’s attention,” said Coach Porter of the play. “We needed him to roll coverage over the top on that play. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get to him and Jackson beat Elder off the line.”
After intercepting a pass on the Falcons’ first offensive series, the Bulldogs went to Jackson again on their second series. This time they challenged Elder deep down the seam. Having learned from the first encounter, Elder had good coverage underneath, and Kirk was in coverage over the top. Only a mistimed jump kept Kirk from intercepting the pass, which fell harmlessly to the turf.
Jackson would catch only one more pass against Elder who, according to Coach Porter, played a great game against a quality receiver.
“Even on the second reception,” explained Coach Porter, “Xay was in great position. The ball was under thrown and Jackson made a great adjustment. If that’s a better throw, Elder might have had an interception there.”
The Falcons got on the board, tying the game at 7, at the 4:28 mark of the first quarter. The seven play, 73-yard drive, capped off by a 5-yard touchdown run by Acuna, included a 39-yard run by Collins early in the drive. The 39-yard run was Collins’ long on the night. Acuna, showing his grit as a runner, ran over two defenders before lunging across the end line for the Falcons’ first score.
North Forney would take their first lead of the game on the second play of the second quarter, when a methodical, 66-yard drive ended with a 26-yard burst up the middle by Collins. Collins left defenders diving at his ankles as he raced mostly untouched into the end zone.
“I am so proud of our offensive line,” Coach Jackson said after the game. “They were dominant and created huge holes for Ty Collins, allowing him to get the 208 yards and two touchdowns.”
The Falcons extended their lead to 15 points on their next possession. Taking over near midfield, Acuna hit Allen down the seam for a 46-yard gain to the Bulldogs’ 8-yard line. Two plays later, Jermaine Oakley sprinted four yards into the end zone. The diminutive Oakley had powered through two defenders for four yards on the previous play to set up his touchdown run.
When the Bulldogs were penalized for being offsides on the successful extra point kick, the Falcons decided to take the point off the board, opting instead for a two-point conversion attempt. Acuna made a perfect read on the option and raced untouched into the end zone to convert, pushing the Falcons’ lead to 22-7 with 8:11 left in the half.
The Falcons would score their fourth touchdown with 2:47 left in the half. Following a third straight Royse City punt, one that initially hit at the Falcons’ 45-yard line and rolled to the 12, North Forney drove 88 yards for the score. It was their longest drive of the game and was finished by Acuna’s 26-yard sprint up the middle. Acuna broke a tackle near the line of scrimmage and dragged a defender the final five yards into the end zone.
North Forney tacked on another seven points on their first drive of the second half.
Taking the ball from their own 31-yard line, the Falcons marched 69 yards into the end zone to expand their lead to 36-7 with 8:28 left in the third quarter. Collins walked the final two yards untouched for the score. The drive was highlighted by a scrambling Acuna-to-Kristian Aricheta connection for 28 yards, a fumbled snap that turned into a 16-yard gain by Collins, and 17-yard run for Acuna that put the Falcons in position for the eventual score.
A long return on the ensuing kickoff gave the Bulldogs their best starting field position of the game, at the Falcons’ 49-yard line. Once again, the defense put the clamps on the Royse City offense, allowing them only to the 27-yard line before forcing a turnover on downs, and giving the ball back to North Forney.
On the third play from scrimmage at the 34-yard line, with sophomore Luke Kee in at quarterback, the Bulldogs’ Hayden Hayes came off the left edge and stripped the ball as Kee set up to pass. Recovering the fumble he created, Hayes rumbled to the Falcons’ 14-yard line before he was brought down.
Four plays later, Ahmon Petty-Dozier would score from 3-yards out to close the gap to 36-14 with 3:48 left in the third quarter.
With Acuna back in the game, the Falcons answered the Bulldogs’ touchdown with one of their own to close out the scoring. The 13-yard Acuna-to-Allen connection was the final play of the 59-yard drive. Allen used his height advantage to go over the top of Damon Dozier in the right corner of the end zone for the catch, and a 43-14 lead, with 47 seconds left in the third quarter.
While he missed on his first attempt at an interception, DeMarcus Kirk would not miss on the first play of the fourth quarter. Finally getting good protection, Veracruz floated a pass over the head of Jackson and found Kirk waiting for the pick. Making the grab near his own 45-yard line, Kirk returned the ball to the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line. The Falcons were not able to score following the interception.
Along with Kirk, Coach Porter pointed to Elder, Rod Brown and Trey Jones, playing in place of injured Akanimo Asuquo, as having strong showings. Brown, he said, is a high-IQ football player with his recognition of keys to stunt many of the Bulldogs’ offensive plays. He was also extremely happy with they way Jones filled in for Asuquo.
“It is really hard to point to a single defensive player that stood out,” said Coach Porter. “So many of them played well. Trey Jones stepped in for Nimo and had 6 or 7 solo tackles, 2 or 3 assists, and 2 sacks. He showed well in practice dur ing the week, but practice and games are very different. He has a really good game.”
With the regular completed, the Falcons will continue their “Payback Tour 2020” in the playoffs, beginning with a bi-district game against Denison (7-3) on Friday night at City Bank Stadium. Denison finished third in District 7-5A (II).
“A new season starts now,” said Coach Jackson of the playoffs. “Every team in the playoffs starts the tournament 0-0. Denison will be a quality opponent. They are a blue-collar bunch who will play hard.”
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