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Falcon football heads into bye week with big win

Posted 10/5/22

The Fountain Hills High School football (4-3) team won in convincing fashion on the road last Friday, Sept. 30. The Falcons defense grabbed seven interceptions, returned three for touchdowns, and …

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Falcon football heads into bye week with big win

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The Fountain Hills High School football (4-3) team won in convincing fashion on the road last Friday, Sept. 30. The Falcons defense grabbed seven interceptions, returned three for touchdowns, and beat Phoenix Christian 62-13. Senior running back Gavin Furi added four offensive touchdowns in the region matchup as well.

The Falcons didn’t start the night strong on the ground, and only had one positive yardage play on the first drive. After two runs by Furi were stuffed in the backfield, senior quarterback Spencer Nelson found junior Gannon Young for a 61 yard touchdown strike.

The Falcon’s defense was ready to go from the start. They allowed zero yards on the Cougar’s first drive, and senior Ty Cosman intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown to put the Falcons up 14-0 early.

Senior Ryan Dyhrkopp sacked the Cougar quarterback on the next drive and helped set up a punt. Sophomore Sam Barnard returned the punt to the Phoenix Christian 42 yard line, Dyhrkopp caught a pass for 17 yards, and then Furi took it the rest of the way on two carries. Furi scored his first touchdown from 14 yards out to lead 21-0.

The Cougars started to move the ball, getting at least two first downs on their third offensive drive, until junior Cannon Lips intercepted the ball for the Falcons. The Falcons handed the ball off to Furi on first down and he ripped through a hole and several tackles on his way to a 44 yard touchdown run.

“[Gavin] played well. He ran with a purpose, and he read the cuts,” Falcons head coach Sean Moran said. “I thought on the ground he was really explosive. When he saw a hole, he just exploded through it. We’re happy with it. He’s picking up the scheme really well, and me and him work a lot with different reads and things like that.”

Barnard got a sack on the next drive which helped the Falcons defense get another three and out. The Falcons offense stalled out once they were in field goal range, and senior Nico Cini missed his first try from 44 yards out. That would be the only miss from Cini on the night, as he made two of his three field goals and all five of his extra point attempts.

Cini missed three and a half games with injury since week three against Scottsdale Christian Academy. Junior Jaxson Butcher filled in the last two weeks. and remained the place kicker for kickoffs. After Cini’s injury, the Falcons allowed two kickoff returns for touchdowns to Scottsdale Christian but have worked more on special teams since.

“It’s coming along,” Moran said. “I think the boys needed to learn that hard lesson of how important special teams is at SCA, and since then, they really have embraced it. There’s a lot of starters on special teams, they love it, and they understand it. They build each other up for it.”

Two plays after the field goal miss, senior Diesel Giger grabbed his first interception and returned it 40 yards to the four yard line. Furi scored on his first run attempt, and the Falcons led 35-0.

The Cougars got themselves into Falcon territory but made another mistake. Giger caught a second interception, but the Falcons didn’t keep it for long. Nelson threw his first and only interception on the night, and then senior Casey Osborne caught a tipped pass and retuned it 67 yards for another pick six.

“Playmakers make plays, and these guys understand that,” Moran said. “You can’t just get your hands on it; you have to bring it in and take it. Our players are becoming opportunistic with things.”

The Falcons led 42-0 but allowed the first of two Cougar touchdowns on the next drive. Phoenix Christian completed a big 45 yard touchdown pass to make it 42-7. They tried to kick an onside kick, but the Falcons recovered and were able to kick a field goal before halftime. Cini made it from 22 yards out to lead 45-7 at halftime.

The Cougars never used a running back in the backfield and only ran the ball twice with the quarterback. The Falcons forced a turnover on downs on defense to start the second half, and then Cini made another field goal from 38 yards out. The next two Cougar possessions would end in interceptions, including Giger’s third interception on the night, this time returning it 45 yards for a touchdown to lead 55-7.

“[Diesel] did a great job,” Moran said. “There was no run threat there, so we were able to drop back a little bit. Obviously, he’s been playing inside linebacker most of the year, so to be able to get back at safety, what he played last year, I’m sure was fun for him.”

The Falcons were chewing clock on their last two possessions but still found the endzone one more time. On third and long, Furi ran a wheel route and Nelson found him wide open for a 44 yard touchdown reception. The Falcons allowed one big pass play near the end of the game, and the Cougar’s quarterback snuck in from two yards out to score the last touchdown of the night. The Falcons prevented the two point attempt and won 62-13.

The Falcons offensive line allowed zero sacks on the night and helped the Falcons advance to 3-0 in region play. Fountain Hills has now won three games in a row for the first time since the 2018-19 season, and they have their bye this weekend.

Moran said there is still plenty to work on and improve with Payson and Valley Christian still on the horizon in region play. The Falcons will rest up and use pads less this week, but they’ll be right back to work next week over fall break.

The Falcons next host non-region opponent Bourgade Catholic on Friday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. The Falcons will travel to Payson on Friday, Oct. 21, and then end the regular season by hosting Valley Christian on Thursday, Oct. 27.