Football: Falcons Turn to Run Game to Plow Over J-W-P

The first half was entertaining. Each team put up over 200 yards total offense. Visiting Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton thru for over 200 yards. The teams combined for seven touchdowns. The Falcons never trailed in the Mid-South cross-district game, but the Bulldogs hung with FC almost score for score. The teams scored four touchdowns in the final 4:00 of the half. The last was by the Falcons, on maybe the game’s most brilliant play, as senior QB Bridon Bahl avoided three defenders in pass rush, slipped out of the pocket and hit Adrian Rindels, who made a one-handed reception, and turned it into a 44-yard touchdown. Said score with 19-seconds left in the half put the Falcons ahead 28-20 at intermission. The game had been tied 6-6, 14-14, and FC led narrowly 21-20 up until that point. But in the second half, FC stopped with the balanced offense and leaned on their big offensive line. FC’s first 16 plays to gain yardage in the second half were all run plays, as back-to-back drives only made headway on the ground. Series of 71 yards and 49 yards were respectively ended by Bahl (1-yard) and Grant Daniels (29-yard) TD runs. FC’s defense was stouter in the second half also, surrendering just 71 yards (and getting a three-and-out between the Falcons’ two third quarter scoring drives). The 21-0 run put the Falcons up 42-20 late in the third quarter. A 9-play, 73-yard touchdown drive eating most of the fourth quarter iced the game. FC ground up the Bulldogs by 48-28 final. The sophomore Daniels (17-174 yards, 4 TDs) had two scores in each half. He eclipsed 100 yards rushing in the second stanza. Senior Quinci Kaase (13-125 yards, conversion rushing, 2-21 receiving) also topped the century mark on the ground, as the Falcons ran 344 yards, totaled 467 yards offense. Bahl had three total touchdowns (8-15, 123 yards, TD passing; 2-33, TD rushing) including a highlight real 32-yard scrambling TD in the first half. Rindels (2-82, TD receiving) was FC’s top ball catcher. Will Boettcher notched 1 ½ sacks defensively. J-W-P quarterback Seth Dahlberg had a massive game (20 of 31, 274 yards, 2 TDs passing, 1-yard TD run) alongside top receiver Gavin Bauer (7-170, TD receiving). But after a massive first half (four connections, 131 yards, TD), the duo was held in check after intermission (three connections, 39 yards) much by FC’s ball control. Scoring on seven of eight drives, the Falcons improved to 0-0 in the Green, 2-0 overall.