POLAND – It isn’t good when your offensive game plan goes up in smoke after just two plays.
But that’s what happened to the Poland Knights on Saturday.
Two plays, two fumbles and negative 11 yards gained wasn’t exactly the way the Knights had hoped to start against the defending Class B state champion Mountain Valley Falcons.
The Falcons’ first string defense yielded just one first down while their offense scored at will in cruising to a 47-6 victory.
The last message Mountain Valley coach Jim Alyward gave his team as they took the field was “The first guy make the tackle, the second one strip the ball”.
Those words proved prophetic.
Mountain Valley (2-0) threw starting quarterback Joe Douglass for a four-yard loss on the opening play from scrimmage and caused a fumble which was recovered by the offense. The second play resulted in a seven-yard loss for tailback Hunter Travers and another fumble. This time it was the Falcon defense pouncing on the ball.
“We wanted to run the option,” said Poland coach Rick Kramer. “We practiced perfect all week and we forgot what to do on the weekend. When you fumble on the first two plays the confidence isn’t there. Against a team like Mountain Valley you’d better work it right, if not they’ll take it to you.”
Seven plays later, Falcon tailback Aaron Arsenault (13 carries for a game-high 119 yards) capped a 31-yard drive with a touchdown run from two yards out. The rest of the first half was more of the same. The Poland (0-2) offense totaled 15 yards on the ground with the lone first down. Whatever the Knights tried offensively proved unsuccessful.
“We’re a good defensive team,” said Alyward. “When we make the plays early it sets the tone for the game.”
The Falcons’ offense was just as effective, scoring on its first four possessions and racking up 173 yards on the ground. They would rush for 270 yards for the game. The Falcons’ average starting field position in the first half was the Poland 45.
Both Arsenault and fellow halfback Devin Roberts (37 yards rushing) ran for a pair of scores. Fullback Travis Fergola scored from a yard out in the first quarter and returned an interception for a touchdown in the second quarter from his linebacker position.
Back up quarterback Adam Hill rolled right and threw a pass into the right flat area. Fergola intercepted the pass and rumbled 27 yards to put the Falcons up 34-0.
Poland scored on a nine-play, 95-yard march. Halfback Tyler Merchant raced 24 yards for one first down and finished off the drive with a 46-yard score around the right end.
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