Oh So Close!

Falcons needed just a little more time



Beniquez Brown ran the ball hard as always



     The Falcons ALMOST pull the big upset and take total control of Region 8...but come up just a bit short after an incredible defensive performance.  Bob Jones brings a team to town averaging 59 points per game and a QB with some very impressive statistics.  The Falcons touted a tight defense allowing 6.5 ppg.  The defense held.  Problem was - BOTH teams defense held.  The Patriots limited the Falcons to 115 yards passing on 14 of 28 and only 96 yards rushing.  The 201 total yards actually eclipsed the Patriots total of 185 yards.  Bob Jones completed 12 of 25 passes for 124 yards and threw 1 interception.  Penalties were limited to 10 yards for Bob Jones while the Falcons were flagged for 75 yards.  In a game where points were rare and yardage was hard earned, it made a difference. 

     The Patriots took a 3 - 0 lead on a 29 yard FG in the 1st quarter.  Then the Falcons Kendrick Doss, late in the first half, flipped the ball backwards, as he was falling, to Beniquez Brown who ran 42 yards on the impromptu creative play.  He got the Falcons to just inside the Patriot 10 yard line where Roland Adams punched it in from 3 yards out for a 7 - 3 Florence lead at the half.  At this point the Falcon defense had only allowed 2 yards rushing by the Patriots.

    The game was changed when coach Kevin Rose chose a halfback pass on 3rd and short.  It was completed to just inside the Falcon 10 and set up a pass from Moss to Reggie Ragland in the corner of the end zone for a 10 - 7 lead.  The Patriots only threw for 55 yards in the second half - 45 of them were on those two plays.  But there was a lot of football left to play. 

     After grinding out most of the remaining time the Falcons return a punt to the Patriot 41 and feel they have life only to end up punting the ball to inside the 5 yard line and seemingly pin the Patriots deep with just under 5 minutes to play; however, the play was ruled a touchback and the Patriots would try to run out the clock.  After moving the ball a bit, Bob Jones is faced with 4th and 2 just across midfield when the Falcons defense strings the play out and comes up with yet one more final defensive stop.  The following is the last 1:21 and the excitement including how close the Falcons were to winning:

1:21 Doss on 3rd and 6 completes pass to Trey Simms for the first down at the 49 yard line -

1:10 Doss completes to JJ Green at 38 yd line for another 1st down -

:57 Doss completes to Brown for a 2 yd gain and stops clock out of bounds -

 :44 2nd and 8 Doss to Green as Patriots blitz - gains 2 but clocks running -

 : 27 3rd and 4 Doss to Green again comes up inches short -

Clock is running - Coach Briggs requests measurement - clock stops with 16 seconds -

4th and inches - Doss on QB sneak -

Illegal Motion against Florence - Now 4th and 6 -

Pass drops incomplete and Patriots win.

The Falcons are for real - the defense is one of the best around - should be a great season ahead -

Oh So Close!





Brown and Cowan stop the pass

Fans could taste the upset