Falcons edge out Colby in rivalry game
The annual football duel between neighboring rivals Abbotsford and Colby went right down to the wire last Friday evening, but for the second season in a row, the Falcons came out on top, defeating the visiting Hornets 27-14. Big plays on offense and an ability to force turnovers on defense allowed the Falcons to keep the traveling milk can trophy in Abbotsford.
The final score perhaps did not reflect how close the two squads were on Friday. Both teams finished with almost the same total yards on offense, Abbotsford ending the evening with 333 yards and the Hornets racking up 332 yards. Colby was also able to better sustain drives, collecting 14 first downs to Abbotsford’s nine. However, the Falcons found that they did not necessarily need lengthy drives to succeed, as three long touchdown runs from Chase Boller and five turnovers forced by the Abbotsford defense were enough to top Colby in the end.
A key defensive stand sealed the game in the Falcons favor. Taking over with eight minutes left in the game down 2114, the Hornets went the length of the field, going from their own 13 yard line to inside the 10 of Abbotsford. After some tough runs from quarterback Luke Hannula and Chase Heeg to move the ball steadily towards midfield, Hannula broke away for a 40-yard pick up to bring the Hornets into the red zone. Momentum had swung in favor of Colby and they seemed poised to potentially tie the game in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
However, on first and goal, Abbotsford’s defense came through as they had all evening. For the fourth time in the contest, the Falcons forced the ball loose, and for the fourth time, they came away with it. This time, Abbotsford defensive lineman Landon Auberg emerged from the pile with football in hand.
The turnover, Colby’s fifth, was the most back-breaking of the night. With under three minutes left, the Hornets needed to quickly force a punt if they were to have another shot at the end zone. First down runs from Boller and Jesus Reyes on backto- back plays swiftly dashed those hopes and Boller put the icing on the cake two plays later, dashing around the right side of the Abbotsford line before outracing the rest of the Colby defense to the end zone for a 65-yard dagger.
The run for Boller was a microcosm of what the Falcons were able to accomplish on offense for much of the evening. The senior back racked up 220 yards on the ground for the Falcons on just 12 carries, finding the end zone on runs of 67 and 50 yards earlier in the contest. The lengthy scoring plays accounted for over half of the Falcons total offense on Friday, the three runs totaling 182 yards while their 29 other rushes totaled 151 yards. Their fourth touchdown also came on a long running play, Reyes breaking away for a 37-yard scamper to start the fourth quarter and give the Falcons the lead for good.
Though the Falcons had a pair of fumbles themselves, the five giveaways by the Hornets shifted the game in Abbotsford’s favor. While Colby’s defense was able to prevent the Falcons from scoring after a fumble ended their opening drive and gave Abbotsford a short field, the lost scoring opportunities would come back to haunt the visitors.
Colby was able to take a 7-0 lead after the big defensive stand in the first quarter, getting on board on their second possession by going the length of the field and scoring on a two-yard run by Hannula. It did not take long for Abbotsford to respond, as Boller scored his first touchdown of the contest on the Falcons second play from scrimmage on their next drive and soon the score was knotted at 7-7.
A lengthy run by Hannula and a connection between the quarterback and Dany Nunez Jr. allowed the Hornets to once again work their way into the red zone, but an interception brought in by Irvin Aguilera halted Colby’s attempts to retake the lead. The Hornet’s defense held, getting a key turnover on downs on Abbotsford’s side of the field, and an impressive run from Heeg on fourth and long once again had the Hornets knocking on the door. Another fumble, this time recovered by Marcus VanLuven, helped the Falcons deny Colby from scoring and the two squads entered halftime still tied at 7-7.
It did not take long for the home team to break that tie. Just thirty seconds into the third, Abbotsford’s line completely collapsed the left side of the Hornets’ defense, springing Boller for a 50-yard touchdown to go up 13-7. While Colby was able to later retake the lead on a big run from Heeg, a 34-yard run with 2:17 left in the third quarter, the turnovers earlier in the game made their 14-13 advantage a fragile one.
Key Moment
A pair of big runs for Jesus Reyes turned the tide back in the Falcons favor after it seemed to be slipping back to the Hornets.
Following Colby’s second touchdown of the evening, Abbotsford needed a response. Reyes came through for the Falcons, taking a direct snap for a 13-yard run into Colby territory on the second to last play of the third quarter before doing the same on the first play of the fourth quarter, breaking away for a go-ahead 37-yard touchdown run. Carter Cihlar found Aguilera on a pass on the ensuing two-point attempt to put Abbotsford up by seven and the Falcons never trailed after that point.
The touchdown not only gave the Falcons the lead but also reversed the momentum that had swung towards the visiting Colby squad. In the end, it also turned out to be the difference maker between the two teams.
Statistics
Boller’s 220 yards and three touchdowns led all rushers during Friday night’s rivalry game. Reyes added another 72 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, and Cihlar picked up 40 yards on seven touches. Meanwhile, Hannula finished the game with 185 yards on the ground after getting the ball 29 times for the Hornets and Heeg added 87 yards on 16 carries. Both had one rushing touchdown each.
The passing game was less consistent for both teams, though neither team particularly needed much from their air attack. Cihlar finished 0-for-3 but hit Aguilera for a key two-point conversion. Meanwhile, Hannula went 4-for-7 for 47 yards and an interception. Nunez Jr. caught two passes for 29 yards while Brennan Geiger had two receptions for 18 yards.
On defense, Jaxon Ploeckelman led the Falcons with 10 total tackles. Nathan Dukelow had 8.5 tackles himself, Aguilera added five and Reyes, VanLuven and Luis Lujan all had four each. VanLuven, Ploeckelman, Reyes and Auberg all had fumble recoveries and Dukelow was credited with a forced fumble. Aguilera’s pick in the second quarter was the only interception by either defense.
What’s Next?
Abbotsford will look to continue their winning streak as they travel to Iola-Scandinavia for their first Marawood/CWC-Small conference game of the season. Last year, the Falcons came out on top against their new conference foes in a closely contested 13-7 victory. The Thunderbirds are 1-1 this season and are coming off a 36-14 loss to Weyauwega-Fremont. Junior Korz Loken is the team’s top rusher and receiver and speedy senior quarterback Jensen Rice can be difficult for opposing defenses to stop both on the ground and through the air. The two squads will face off on Friday, September 5 at 7 p.m. at Iola-Scandinavia.
Meanwhile, Colby will look to get back on track with their first CWC-Large game against Amherst. The Falcons dominated in their first two contests this year, winning 4714 over Saint Mary Catholic in their season opener before defeating Winnebago Lutheran 35-8. Last season, the Hornets could not keep up with their conference foes, falling on the road 41-20. Colby will host Amherst on Friday, September 5 at 7 p.m.
