Big Plays, Tough Defense and the will of Warriors..
Our Santa Fe Christian Eagles’ football team won their Friday night match-up against the Fallbrook Warriors in Fallbrook. Fallbrook High is four times the size of SFC with 2000 students. The final score last night was 27-6 in favor of our "Warrior Eagles". Big plays on offense, a stout defense and marathon endurance by all starters led the way for the team. Nearly all of the SFC starters played over 90 plays of the 120 total plays in the game.
The last time that SFC played Fallbrook was in 2007 when SFC fell to the Warriors 38-10.
The Eagle defense played tough all night, limiting the Warriors to 6 points in the second quarter, including a blocked PAT by Zach Marshall and pitching a shutout in the second half. Coming into the game the Eagles knew the Warriors had a strong running attack and the SFC defense rose to the occasion to shut down the Fallbrook running game. While the Warriors were able to muster up a handful of long runs, the SFC “bend, but never break” defense was able to corral the Warriors’ running backs and keep them out of the end zone. For the game, the Eagles’ secondary completely shut down the Warriors’ passing attack giving up only one catch and Kevin Olah almost had his second interception of the season.
Leading the team in tackles were six SFC seniors – Luca Torti (6), Joe Olmore (5), Evan Bennett (5), Cooper Whitton (4), Brendon DeBont (4), and Bert Carnes (4). Whitton and his defensive pals wreaked havoc in the Fallbrook backfield chasing the Fallbrook quarterback on what seemed like every passing down. In the 3rd quarter, Chase Wetsel destroyed his blocker and threw the Warrior ball carrier to the ground like a rag doll for a 5-yard loss.
On offense, big plays, at the right time, were the difference maker for the Eagles’ offense. With the score 7-6 in the second quarter on the Eagles’ second possession of the game, Thomas Greupner had a 75-yard run on a 3rd and 20 from his own 10 yard line. Zack Marshall had a 64-yard reception. And, Luca Torti and Cooper Whitton reeled off runs of 46 and 32 yards, respectively. Those 4 plays accounted for almost 50% of SFC’s 443 yards of total offense and each play led to a touchdown. On Whitton’s 32-yard scamper, Joe Olmore, Evan Bennett and Kevin Olah executed their blocks to perfection to free up Whitton.
Just like last week, the Eagles were able to score on their first possession - a 92-yard gem of a drive.
Luca Torti led the team in rushing with 131 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns. With the offensive line (Tim Deveau, Evan Bennett, Jacob Albrecht, Joey Olmore and Ben Coons) opening holes for the Eagle’s running game, Torti, a bruising runner with excellent speed, imposed his will on the Warrior’s linebackers and secondary by running through and around would be tacklers.
Thomas Greupner ended the night with 76 yards rushing and 159 yards passing for 235 total yards. Greupner completed 9 out of 11 passes (82%), including a 64-yard completion to Zack Marshall. Greupner had a perfect first half completing 5 out of 5 passes for over 100 yards. Thomas’ passer rating for the game was 153, almost perfection (158).
Zack Marshall ran through the Fallbrook secondary at will, catching 8 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown. Marshall made a great play on the touchdown by stretching out for the goal line while being tackled by a Warrior defender.
On special teams, in his first varsity football game, sophomore Britain Kowalchek stepped up big and had an excellent night kicking the football – kickoffs, punts, and extra points. He made 3 out of 4 extra points and had two nice punts that were not returned, including a 41-yard punt. Also on special teams, Zack Marshall blocked an extra point.
The “Talon Shoutouts” this week go to:
Luca Torti (team leader in yards rushing (131), TDs (2) and tackles (6) – what a performance)
Thomas Greupner (159 passing yards, 76 rushing yards, and a passer rating of 153)
Zack Marshall (8 catches for 158 yards and a TD, and a blocked extra point)
Britain Kowalchek (Sophomore kicker stepping up big in his varsity debut)
The “bend-but-never-break” defense. What a performance by the defense.
Next week SFC starts play in the Coastal League against the Francis Parker Lancers and former SFC student, Gervy Alota. It is the first home game of the season. Let’s fill the stands at SFC.