Falcons find way to claim win in 2OT thriller

Connor Schueller pushes aside Hillsboro’s Ashton Mislivecek while trying to run the ball forward in Friday’s game. (Nate Beier photo | gx3media.smugmug.com)

Ben DeWitt finds some room to run on the Falcons’ first possession of the night during Friday’s homecoming game. DeWitt and company would set up inside the red zone, but the Tigers’ defense held fast, keeping its opponent out of the end zone until the fourth quarter. (Nate Beier photo | gx3media.smugmug.com)

Brookwood’s Uziel Sanchez pushes back against Hillsboro’s Jacob Urban at the snap of the ball during the first quarter of Friday’s homecoming game. (Nate Beier photo | gx3media.smugmug.com)

By NATE BEIER | For the County Line

Friday’s homecoming game at Brookwood had plenty of twists and turns, but in the end, the home team earned another key victory by defeating Hillsboro 14–13 in double overtime.

Brookwood entered the game with the conference’s second-longest regular season win streak, behind the league-leader, Bangor. The Falcons, winners of their last five games, seemed poised to dispatch a Hillsboro team and head into this week’s showdown with Bangor. But Hillsboro came looking for another upset after defeating Royall in week six.

Both teams used their defense to limit the other for the first half of the contest. Hillsboro got a break with just over a minute left in the second quarter, when Tyler Weber intercepted a pass from Brookwood’s Jack Mulvaney and returned the ball 10 yards to set the Tigers up on the 17-yard line.

On fourth down of the ensuing series, Hillsboro’s Sigourd Lilmose booted the ball 28 yards for a field goal, giving the Tigers a 3–0 advantage going into halftime.

Hillsboro put together another scoring drive, which started just inside the seven-minute mark of the third quarter. Noah Feala broke away for a 58-yard run and was finally brought down by Robert Cunitz at the 7-yard line. Though Trey Kaiser caught Yobani Mora on the next play for a 3-yard loss, the Tigers advanced the ball back to the eight yardline before Lilmost attempted his second field goal, this time a 25-yarder, which he kicked successfully.

With their backs against the wall, the Falcons went back to work on their next drive. Mulvaney’s 37-yard catch-and-run by Garrett Gerke put the home team in business with just under three minutes to play. A roughing-the-passer penalty moved the Falcons from the 18 yard line to the seven. The offense tried to score through the air, failing four straight times after getting an extra try on a holding penalty, which pushed Brookwood back to the 18-yard line.

Finally, with 1:49 left on the clock and on fourth and goal, Mulvaney found Cunitz, and the senior receiver was able to take the ball across the goal line for the score. Brookwood elected to try for 2 points on the point-after-touchdown try, and failed to connect on another pass.

Both teams had a chance to break up the6–6 tie in regulation, but neither could move the ball effectively.

Ben DeWitt used a 13-yard run in the first overtime to put the Falcons a yard away from taking the lead, as Brookwood had the first crack on offense. The Tigers’ defense held up, however, and kept the end zone free of rushers. Hillsboro advanced the ball to the 13-yard line before quarterback Ethan Thorson fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Brookwood’s Tristan Watters.

To start the second overtime, Hillsboro went back to work on its second try on offense. Jacob Urban finished the drive with a 5-yard run, and the extra point by Lilmose was good. Hillsboro took a 13–6 lead.

The home team didn’t let the momentum swing in favor of Hillsboro, though. Tanner Rynes rattled off a 25-yard run on Brookwood’s first play in the second overtime to set up a decisive extra-point try. Brookwood went with another passing play when Mulvaney looked to connect with Connor Schueller — and did so — with a short pass to the outside. Schueller’s final gallop gave the home team its first lead of the night, and the Falcons captured the 14–13 win.

Brookwood made the most of limited opportunities. Hillsboro held the Falcons to just 155 rushing yards and only 104 passing yards. DeWitt led the team with 104 yards on the ground, and Cunitz caught three passes for 40 yards, including the game-extending fourth-quarter touchdown.

Mulvaney was 7–24 in passing and finished with two interceptions and a touchdown.

Hillsboro gashed Brookwood for 291 rushing yards, but was unable to produce a touchdown until the second overtime. Feala finished with 130 yards on 11 rushes. Mora had 71 yards on the night.

DeWitt’s 10 tackles led Brookwood. Tanner Rynes had 8, and Schueller and Dylan DeWitt each had 7.

Tyler Weber led Hillsboro with 10 total tackles.

Brookwood will travel to face Bangor on Friday for complete control of the Scenic Bluffs Conference lead. The Cardinals’ last league loss came from Brookwood in 2013, when the Falcons pinned a 40–21 loss to Bangor on its home turf. Since then, however, Bangor hasn’t lost a regular-season game, though Brookwood will be ready to try to end the streak at 33 games.

Game time is set for 7 p.m. Friday in Bangor. Brookwood will finish the regular season by hosting Royall next week.

 



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