The Fountain Hills High School football team fell to 2-4 with its 46-7 homecoming loss to No.11 Gilbert Christian Thursday, Sept. 21.

The No. 30 Falcons blocked three extra points, and senior Canon Lipps scored the lone touchdown off a 50-yard pass from junior quarterback Logan LeDrew in the third quarter.

LeDrew was the initial third-string signal caller at the start of the season, but his number was called after starting QB junior Sam Barnard tweaked his throwing arm in the game at Payson. Barnard played running back and had an impressive one-handed catch early on, and senior Nate Barnard, who ensured Lipp’s touchdown with a nice block downfield, also played through an injured shoulder.

Senior Gabe Haynes, another running back and leader on defense, was also out with injuries last Thursday.

“A lot of us are just one-string,” Lipps said. “No one really has a backup. Nate was having shoulder problems, so I was long snapping this game. We just got to fill in spots where sometimes you’ve never even played before.”

LeDrew started at quarterback week one of his sophomore year and has been a starter on defense this year. Gilbert Christian’s defensive line was much better than Chino Valley’s last year, with six tackles for loss compared to two, but LeDrew said he felt more composed in the pocket this year.

LeDrew fumbled inside the five-yard line on the first offensive drive, and the Falcons fumbled again on the first possession of the second half. Senior Gannon Young forced a fumble late in the first half that sophomore Brayden LeDrew recovered on the one yard-line, and Young recovered another fumble on a muffed punt in the third quarter.

The Knights scored a quick touchdown off the first fumble, and they went up 14-0 after a seven-play drive early in the second quarter. The Falcons killed time after they recovered the fumble on the one and got 24 yards on five runs before punting it away, but Gilbert Christian would score on a 60-yard run with 15 seconds before halftime.

Falcons head coach Pete Schermerhorn called the last play before half a missed opportunity and said the Falcons can’t feel sorry for themselves. Schermerhorn continues to focus on growth and development, and said the Falcons need to play up to their standard.

“We just have to keep getting better at what we’re already doing,” Schermerhorn said. “We’ll continue to focus on us and what’s in our locker room and getting better individually and collectively as a group. The process is what we have to believe in, and if we continue to do that, then the wins will come when the wins come.”

The Falcons outscored the Knights 7-6 and matched Gilbert Christian in the turnover battle in the third quarter. Sophomore Connor Davies and Lipps also combined for back-to-back big plays on defense, a -5 tackle for loss and then a big sack.

“Halftime, our awesome coaches got the message to us,” Logan LeDrew said. “We needed to play harder, so we did. We came out and fought.”

The Falcons have lost four in a row and will face several more tough opponents before the end of the year. Despite that, team morale has not wavered.

“I don’t even care about the record,” Lipps said. “I want to obviously win, but I just want to have fun with my boys. I’m just not going to let it get to me.”

Next, the Falcons host region opponent, No. 8 Blue Ridge (5-1), Friday, Sept. 29. Then, they’ll go on the road and face No. 26 Show Low (1-4) Friday, Oct. 6. Both games kick off at 7 p.m.