After a two-year absence from the playoffs, the MaxPreps #5 state-ranked (5A-DII) North Forney Falcons faced off against the #11 Denison Yellowjackets in a round one (bi-district) playoff game last Friday night at City Bank Stadium. As he prepared his team, Head Coach Randy Jackson warned his players about the intensity of playoff football. It would be new territory for this group of players, none of which has playoff experience, and Coach Jackson let them know that they would need to dig deep within themselves and, “find a way to win.”
After a slow start, one that saw the Falcons not produce a first down until the 7:30 mark of the second quarter, North Forney struck for two quick scores after halftime to extend their 7-3 lead, and then withstood a furious fourth-quarter rally to defeat Denison, 32-25, for the Bi-District Championship. The Falcons will now face #2 stateranked Aledo, a team they scrimmaged before the season, in an area playoff game Friday afternoon.
This game was a slugfest between two teams that pride themselves on their blue-collar work ethic. There were some pretty plays, a beautifully placed pass from quarterback Jacob Acuna to Collyn Shipley, with Shipley laying out for the Falcons’ first touchdown, and a fourth down stop with 2:40 left in the game and the Jackets driving for a game-tying touchdown. For the most part, however, it was like a heavyweight fight, each team giving the other their best shot, each team looking for the knockout punch.
Denison came into the game at 7-3, their 6-2 record in District 7-5A(II) good enough for third place behind #4 Lovejoy and #6 Frisco, teams that represent Denison’s only two district losses. A 24-3 loss to #7 Texas High (Texarkana) in the second week of the season was Denison’s only other blemish. Led by a fast, hard-hitting defense, the Jackets held those three opponents to roughly half their season scoring average.
“It was a hard-fought win, to say the least,” said Coach Jackson after the game. “Our defense gave up some big plays but, for the most part, Denison was not able to get in a real groove running the ball on us.”
All season long, Denison had leaned on a run game that averaged over 280 yards/game. They boasted two 1000-yard rushers in Jadarian Price (1075 yards) and Asa Osbourn (1000 yards), each with 4.5 speed, that finished as the top two runners in District 7.
Against the Falcons, the Jackets put their speed on display early.
After trading punts to open the game, the Jackets faced a 3rd-and-4 from their 8-yard line. Osbourn, taking a handoff from quarterback Caleb Heavner, was met in the backfield by Falcons’ defensive lineman Rod Brown, who looked to have him wrapped up for a loss. However, Osbourn was able to break free from the tackle and raced down the right sideline for a 56-yard gain.
Two plays later, it was Price who would carry the ball 23 yards to the Falcons’ 11-yard line. The Falcons’ defense would allow eight more yards, down to the 3-yard line, before forcing a 20-yard field goal, giving the Jackets a 3-0 lead with 3:58 left in the first quarter. That was one of many big defensive stops for the Falcons.
While they gave up some big plays, runs of 56 and 57 yards, and a pass completion of 67 yards, the Falcons’ defense also came up with four defensive stands on fourth-and-1. None was more impressive than late in the game, with momentum clearly swinging in Denison’s favor.
“We don’t ever want it to happen, but we realize big plays are going to happen,” explained Defensive Coordinator Ryan Porter. “Our culture, our defensive mentality, is to prevent points and get to the next play.”
While the Falcons’ defense was able to keep Denison out of the end zone, their offense struggled to find its footing.
The normally high-flying Falcons offense that came into the game averaging 23 first half points managed just 7 against Denison and ran only nine plays in the first quarter. They punted on three of their first four possessions against a fast, hard-hitting Yellowjackets defense and turned it over on downs on the other. North Forney managed only 98 total yards in the first half as Denison stacked the box, often sending 8 men on the rush, to slow down the Falcons running attack.
“Kudos to their defense,” said Offensive Coordinator Mike Ludlow. “They flew to the box and did some things alignment-wise that they hadn’t done before. It took us a minute to adjust.”
The Falcons found some rhythm and were finally able to break through with 5:15 left in the first half when Acuna found Shipley in the left corner of the end zone. Acuna placed the ball perfectly over the top of the defender and Shipley, as he has done all season, fully extended to make the catch before hitting the ground. Acuna’s arm got the Falcons on the board, but it was his legs that kept the drive going, as he picked up 39 yards on five carries on the drive.
Speaking of Acuna and Shipley, Coach Ludlow said, “Jacob is just a warrior. He is so tough. And Shipley plays with reckless abandon. He is so physical, both with and without the ball.”
The 10-play, 74-yard drive gave the Falcons a 7-3 lead that they would carry into halftime and would not relinquish.
Coming out of halftime, North Forney took advantage of a Denison coverage issue to quickly extend their lead to 13-3. Receiver Kam Allen split two defenders and Acuna hit him in stride for a 71-yard touchdown at the 11-minute mark. The two-point conversion attempt came up short and the lead remained 10.
With four blocked punts and five blocked field goals, along with four kick return touchdowns, special teams were key to Denison’s success this season. However, it was the Falcons who were the beneficiaries of a special teams touchdown less than two minutes after Allen had outraced the defense into the end zone.
Taking the ensuing possession at their 40-yard line, Denison picked up two yards on the first two plays from scrimmage before linebacker Chandler McGee sacked Heavner for a 13-yard loss on third down. The fourth down snap sailed over the head of punter Reece Stange and, as three Falcons gave chase near the 5-yard line, Stange swatted the ball backward trying to knock it out of the back of the end zone for a safety. Instead, the ball bounded into the middle of the end zone where Trey Jones, playing in place of Akanimo Asuquo, fell on the ball for a touchdown.
The extra point attempt was wide right, and the Falcons’ lead was 19-3.
Any momentum the Falcons had gained would be short-lived as the Jackets would cut into the lead less than two minutes later when Osbourn would find a crease at the left edge of the defense and sprint 57-yards for a touchdown, pulling Denison within nine points at 19-10.
It would stay 19-10 until near the end of the 3rd quarter.
On first-and-10 from the Falcons’ 48-yard line, Acuna stepped up in the pocket and found Kristian Aricheta, down the left seam. Aricheta made the catch at the 17-yard and was not dragged down until he had reached the three. Two plays later, Acuna walked into the end zone untouched on a read option, his two-yard touchdown run giving the Falcons a 25-10 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
North Forney looked to have the game in hand after scoring again just thirty seconds into the fourth quarter. Another deep connection from Acuna to Shipley, this one for 52 yards, set up Ty Collins for a 1-yard touchdown run and a 32-10 Falcons lead.
Denison would not give in, striking back for two fourth quarter scores to pull within seven points, 32-25, with 5:01 left in the game. Following a 2-yard run by Price, Osbourn carried the ball for another 2-yard touchdown setting up the most consequential sequence of the game.
With just over four minutes left in the game, North Forney had the ball on their 27-yard line. Looking to run out the clock, Acuna could not handle the 2nddown snap and the ball was knocked backward until a Denison defender fell on it at near the 14-yard line, putting the Falcons’ defense back on the field.
“We knew we would just need one more stop. We just didn’t know we would be on our own 14,” said Coach Porter of his squad’s lategame heroics. “When you have a sudden change, you don’t have much time to get ready. As we gathered to go on the field, I heard Rod Brown say, ‘this is what we do.’ There was no panic.”
Three straight runs moved the ball down to the Falcons’ 3-yard line. Facing a 4th-and-1, Denison pounded their leading rusher, Price, off tackle where he was submarined by LeMarcus Kirk, who was rushing off the left edge. Kirk, in the game in place of Jeremy Bailey, was able to drop Price for no gain giving the ball back to the Falcons.
The Falcons were finally able to secure the victory when Acuna broke free for a 32-yard gain on 3rd-and-1 with time running out in the game. The drive was aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Denison following a 2-yard loss on 3rd-and-4 from the Falcons’ 11-yard line. The penalty gave the Falcons a first down, allowing them to retain possession.
As he looks toward the second round, against #2 Aledo, Coach Jackson knows the Falcons will have to play their best game of the season.
“Aledo will be another level,” Coach Jackson said.
The Falcons will take on the Bearcats on Friday at 3:15pm, in a game played at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
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