It was a lineman\u2019s dream.<\/p>\n
With only seconds left in the third quarter of a close and crucial conference matchup at the Thunderdome, Falcons defensive lineman Ivan Williams scooped up a fumbled snap at the 31-yard line and ran it back for the deciding touchdown.<\/p>\n
The big man refused to bask in the glory after beating North Pole; he\u2019s just happy to put the Falcons\u2019 atop the conference with the 22-20 win.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like the entire team won the game and not me,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThe defensive line got a good push on that play to set me up for that and that\u2019s all I want to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams\u2019 touchdown gave the Falcons a 22-12 lead with 3:22 left in the game, but an 80-yard touchdown run from North Pole running back James Bartley on the ensuing play had the Falcons sweating as the clock ticked down.<\/p>\n
North Pole\u2019s defense kept Thunder Mountain from running out the clock in the drive following Bartley\u2019s touchdown. Forced to punt from midfield, Falcons\u2019 punter Ryan Mayhew pinned the Patriots at their own 10-yard line.<\/p>\n
North Pole moved the ball to midfield to threaten a hail mary, but consecutive sacks by the Falcons ended North Pole\u2019s last-ditch effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur defense played great\u201d Falcons defensive coordinator Derek Lofstrom said. \u201cThey always know the number one goal is a good team win, doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s 61-60 or 7-0.\u201d<\/p>\n
With starting quarterback Cale Jenkins sidelined with a concussion, backup Owen Mendoza steered the ship at Friday\u2019s contest. Mendoza threw for a touchdown and guided Thunder Mountain\u2019s offensive admirably in Jenkins\u2019 absence, but it was special teams and defense that sealed the win for the Falcons.<\/p>\n
The Falcons had to contend with Patriots senior running back Lafi\u2019tione Skipps, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound senior who can turn opposing lines into swiss cheese.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur game plan was just to stop him, he\u2019s really good,\u201d senior linebacker Garth Tupou said. \u201cWe did it for Coach Ramage. This win means a lot but now we have two more games we have to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Falcons did all they could to hold Skipps to 172 yards on 26 carries.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve known he can do that since last year,\u201d Falcons coach Randy Quinto said. \u201cThe main goal was making sure we stop the A gaps and minimize as much as possible, but he was still able to rip three, four yards a carry. You do that a couple times and you have a first down.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a defensive first quarter with the Falcons netting only one first down and the Patriots zero, North Pole opened scoring on a five-yard quarterback run. Thunder Mountain struck back in the closing minutes of the second quarter with a touchdown pass to Gabe Crawford in the corner of the end zone. A Falcons safety put the home team up 8-6 at half.<\/p>\n
A six-yard run from TMHS junior running back Roy Tupou and a 43-yard run from Skipps put the game at 16-12 before Williams\u2019 touchdown.<\/p>\n
Defensive coordinator Lofstrom was happy for Williams, though his touchdown may have taken away one of his coaching tools.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told the defense, if a lineman scores a touchdown, no more up-downs,\u201d Lofstrom said, referring to a conditioning drill. \u201cThey were pretty excited about that. Ivan has been lights out all year. He earned it, he deserves it and he\u2019s going to let me hear about it the rest of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
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