Courtesy of flicks.byviv on Instagram
The Falcons line up ahead of kick-off against Prospect.The Falcons kicked off their season in dominating fashion on Saturday on Benny Pierce Field, thumping Prospect 40-0 in a game that ended in the third quarter because the Panthers chose to forfeit. Junior quarterback Anson Hulme set the tempo on the opening drive, throwing a pass to senior running back Brennan Pak that led to a 93-yard touchdown. After junior kicker Victor Mancuso converted the point after touchdown (PAT), the Falcons led 7-0.
With three minutes left in the first quarter, Hulme threw a crosser to senior wide receiver Jayden Kwong for an 81-yard touchdown to put the score at 14-0 after another Mancuso PAT.
In practices, Hulme had run the play with Kwong countless times but often struggled with timing and accuracy. Days before the game, he spotted on Prospect’s film that their safety was frequently out of position, which he took advantage of on Saturday to execute the play.
“I went to the sideline and told Coach Ellis what I was seeing, and decided that this would probably work,” Hulme recounted.
Entering the second quarter 14-0, the Falcons were able to keep their momentum going. Their defense was impenetrable throughout the first half of the game, with senior defensive end Oliver Su and junior linebacker Motekiai Pahulu recording several tackles each.
Toward the end of the quarter, senior wide receiver Lucas Hawthorne caught a 59-yard dime from Hulme, setting the score to 21-0 after another successful PAT from Mancuso.
Hulme rushed for a 14-yard TD later in the quarter.
“We heavily relied on our strong run game. Because they had to put so much effort into stopping the runs, when we passed the ball they weren’t expecting it,” Hulme said.
After Mancuso converted his fourth successive PAT, the Falcons led 28-0.
On the defensive side, senior defensive tackle Rishaun Sharma sacked the Prospect quarterback, asserting the Falcons defensive dominance.
Pak added a 31-yard rushing touchdown, with Mancuso’s PAT extending the lead to 34-0. And just a minute before halftime, Pahulu intercepted a Prospect pass and returned it 25 yards for another touchdown.
Though Mancuso’s PAT was blocked, the Falcons went into halftime leading 40-0.
“Going into halftime, me along with a couple of the other players and coaches made it a point that we needed to keep composure and keep giving it everything we had. The game wasn’t over. I think this ultimately was the cause of [Prospect] forfeiting,” Hulme said.
Five minutes into the second half, Prospect forfeited the game with 9:31 left on the clock after the Panthers suffered an injury, and the coaching staff decided it wasn’t worth continuing the non-league contest.
Apart from Hulme and Kwong, other key contributors included senior cornerback Zack Thawer, who recorded several tackles as well as Sharma, who had several tackles in addition to his sack.
Kwong ended the game with 120 all-purpose yards, more than he’s accomplished in any previous game. For him, the momentum from the game was prominent, as he felt the team had sent a message to the league.
The team will next visit Pinole Valley High, which is 1-0, this Friday at 7 p.m. Kwong believes if the team maintains their dynamics, they will continue to see similar results.
“The team yesterday played as one. Going out there with your brothers and being able to play freely while trusting that the guy next to you has your back is a great feeling,” Kwong said. “It definitely shows on the field how close we all are and I’m really grateful to be able to share my final year playing with this group.”
