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Wounded Falcons snare Coyotes

Next Falcon up. Despite missing a plethora of key starters the Foothills Falcons dominated the Centennial Coyotes from Calgary with a 32-7 victory in high school football action Saturday at the Comp.
Foothills Falcon defensive back James Bertram (48) prepares to wrap up Centennial Coyote Diego Monsalvo (81) in the Falcons 32-7 victory Sept. 8 at Falcon Field.
Foothills Falcon defensive back James Bertram (48) prepares to wrap up Centennial Coyote Diego Monsalvo (81) in the Falcons 32-7 victory Sept. 8 at Falcon Field.

Next Falcon up.

Despite missing a plethora of key starters the Foothills Falcons dominated the Centennial Coyotes from Calgary with a 32-7 victory in high school football action Saturday at the Comp.

“I found out Thursday I was going to start and when I saw the wind tonight I was mad because it is hard to pass,” said Falcons QB Keaton Neish, who was filling in for the sick Tyson Pitcher. “But I was excited, really excited.”

The Falcons were not only missing their veteran signal caller, but also their all-purpose slotback Payton Burbank and steady veteran DB Glenn Doroshenko.

A tough way to enter a game, but nothing to dwell on, according to Falcons runningback Payton Price.

“You can’t focus on the injuries, that’s just one thing that will just get stuck in your head,” said Price, who hurt the Coyotes with 224 yards rushing and three TDs. “You have to go out and do your own job, don’t worry about who you were missing.”

As for Neish, the excitement showed. The fleet-footed Grade 11 student, usually a slotback, ran like the wind.

“The coaches told me to use my legs and get some yards,” Neish said.

He avoided more Coyotes than the roadrunner. He rushed for 67 yards and when the ‘Yotes sneaked up, he wasn’t afraid to throw the ball.

“Getting that first catch is always important to establish our passing game,” Neish said. “Make the DBs keep from coming up more, balance off our game, not just runs.”

He would throw for a respectable 86 yards in the windy conditions. Tyson Hartle was Foothills’ top receiver with 65 yards on two receptions.

Both offences stalled in the windy conditions, as the game was scoreless after 12 minutes. The Falcons would open the scoring when Neish hit Price with an 18-yard pass. The Grade 12 student then turned and bulldozed six yards for the major early in the second quarter.

“It was just a great read by Keaton Neish,” Price said. “Two linebackers came up to blitz from the outside and I pointed to them to let Keaton know and he made the play.”

Foothills would up their lead to 8-0 on the ensuing kickoff when Seth Nelson drilled it in the end zone for the single point.

The Coyotes got then got their lone TD on a 65-yard catch and pass from QB Nick Watson to Jordan Maucieri, who snared the ball at midfield and found a seam for the major.

Foothills would add a 28-yard Seth Nelson field goal for an 11-7 lead in the half.

The Coyotes found out in the final 24 minutes, the Price of a Foothills runningback goes way up when the Falcons nest is hurting.

Price amassed more than 170 of his 224 yards rushing in the second half.

He extended Foothills lead to 18-7 when, after running through a huge hole provided by the Falcons O-line, he broke a safety’s tackle and was off to the races for an 80-yard TD.

“I just waited for a second and then just went,” Price said. “The offensive line did great. The safety came up and I stiffed armed him and I just went.”

Price would break off a 70-yard run late in the third quarter which he followed with a 10-yard TD scamper.

The Falcons closed out the scoring when DB Noah Taborski stepped in front of a Watkins pass for a 23-yard pick six.

With the offence missing a few cogs, the Falcons D was ready.

“Coach (Nathan) St. Dennis had us ready for this game,” said defensive lineman Riley Gough.

“We just had to do our jobs.”

The win gives the Falcons a 1-1 record and they remained perched no. 1 in the Division II rankings.

They will face arguably the toughest match on their schedule on Friday when they host the Division I no. 2 ranked Henry Wise Wood Warriors Friday night at 7 p.m. at Falcon Field.

Extra yardage

The Holy Trinity Academy Knights scheduled scrimmage against the St. Mary’s Saints on Friday was cancelled due to the poor air quality. The Knights, the no. 10 ranked Division II school will host no. 3 the Medicine Hat Mohawks Friday at 7 p.m. The Highwood Mustangs have folded for the 2017 season due to a lack of players. That leaves the Big Rock Council with three teams, Foothills, the Knights and the Rundle College Cobras. Ironically, Ryan Nielsen, one of the best Mustangs runners in school history, was in attendance to watch his cousin Price play.

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