Football: Southland Ends FC’s 16-Game Regular Season Win Streak

A year ago, Fillmore Central had its toughest regular season game against Southland in week two. FC prevailed 30-22 with Rebel quarterback Henry Wiste leaving the game with an injury.  Southland led said game 14-6 at halftime before giving up 24 straight points. This year’s week two matchup between the teams was thus a marquee affair, with Southland getting revenge. The Falcons did not trail until the final score. They led 7-0, 7-6, 14-6, and 20-14, while the game was tied 14-14. Said tie came after Southland’s first second half drive, an 11-play 74-yard sequence that was capped when Preston Sayles scored on a 3-yard TD run. More importantly, Cael Smith added the two-point run to even the contest. But FC responded, getting a big Quinci Kaase 35-yard run, then a 35-yard TD pass from Bridon Bahl to Kaase to start the fourth quarter. But the PAT failed, leaving it a 20-14 Falcon lead. Southland then authored its third double-digit-play scoring drive.  Runs to the periphery most did in the Falcon defense. A Smith 2-yard scamper plus Sayles two-point conversion made it 22-20 Rebels. FC’s next drive ended on downs near midfield. But the Falcon defense held the Rebels deep in FC’s own end. With 1:45 left, FC took over with no timeouts left needing to go 88 yards. But an interception near midfield as time expired ended the contest. Southland ended FC’s 16-game regular season winning streak via 22-20 final. FC’s last regular season loss was to Blooming Prairie in week two of 2024.  Wiste (14 of 19, 153 yards, TD, INT passing; 13-37 rushing), Smith (15-68, TD rushing; 5-34 receiving), Beau Sathre (4-69 receiving, 6-19 rushing), Sayles (8-21, TD rushing), Tate Goergen (3-19, TD receiving), and Lucas Boe (2-32 receiving) all contributed offensively for the Rebels. Kaase (6-84, TD receiving, 5-49 rushing, 33-yard interception return), Bahl (12 of 15, 150 yards, TD, INT passing), and Grant Daniels (17-90, TD rushing, team-high 10 tackles) led FC. The Rebels had 23 first downs, FC 17. Total yardage was nearly identical (FC 308, Southland 299). But the Rebels won time of possession. They were also 6 of 10 on third down, FC 2 of 7. The Falcons were also penalized 7 times for 75 yards, Southland three times for 20 yards. The Rebels (2-0, 2-1) lead the Green over NRHEG (0-0, 2-0), USC (0-0, 0-3), FC (0-1, 2-1), and Lewiston-Altura (0-1, 0-3).