Trailing at halftime for the first time this season last Friday night in Spring Creek, Churchill County High School football coach saw no reason to overhaul the game plan.
Down 10-7 after running just three offensive series in the opening half of a low-possession game, the Greenwave erupted for a 40-point second half – 28 of them in the third quarter – to stay unbeaten with a 47-24 win over the Spartans.
“We didn't hit the panic button by any means,” Connors said. “We brought the boys up and just told them hey, we only had three offensive possessions. We have to be able to capitalize in the second half whenever we get the ball.”
Instead, Connors told his team they just need to remember who they are and what they can do.
"Just very proud of how the kids handle adversity. It’s in our DNA and it's in our blueprint of how to win games,” Connors said. “You have to be able to create turnovers defensively and then capitalize offensively and then win that third phase of special teams. “
Pictured right: Fallon’s Alijah Juarez runs past Spring Creek’s McCoy McArtor (22) during last Friday’s game in Spring Creek. Photo by Anthony Mori, Elko Daily Free Press
The early adversity came courtesy of Spring Creek’s opening drive, which used up half of the first quarter and ended with a touchdown run by Landon Boyle. Then on Spring Creek’s second possession, a roughing the passer call against Fallon on a third-down play gave the Spartans a fresh set of downs, but the Greenwave defense held them to a field goal that made it 10-0 early in the second quarter.
Fallon struck back quickly with a 74-yard touchdown pass from Camden Richardson to Calin Anderson to get within 10-7, but Fallon’s third drive of the second half ended with an incomplete pass in the end zone on 4th-and-6 from the Spring Creek 12-yard line.
Then The Greenwave broke the game open with big plays on offense, defense and special teams in the third quarter.
Nathaniel Bianchi started the third quarter with a 60-yard touchdown run to put Fallon ahead 21-10. Maxton Richardson’s 4-yard touchdown reception from Camden Richardson made it 28-10, then he followed that up with a 56-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Bianchi added another 14-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and set up another Richardson to Richardson touchdown pass with a kickoff return to the Spring Creek 8.
“We turned it on and our kids answered the call and were able to step up when they needed to,” Connors said. “Very pleased with all three phases.”
Connors said he also liked the way his team handled the bye week before the Spring Creek game.
“I thought that was probably the best handling of a bye week that we've had here in my three years,” he said. “The kids were able to go to work every day and get better at technique, whether it was offense, defense, or special teams.”
This week the Greenwave goes back on the road to face Dayton at 7 p.m. Friday.
“It doesn't matter who the opponent is, we’ve got to stick to the standard, and our standard is preparing the correct way,” Connors said. “So we'll break down this Spring Creek film with the boys and then tell the boys our game plan for Dayton, and it's just another week.”
Below: Fallon’s Calin Anderson stiff-arms Spring Creek's Rigden Mittelstadt (2). Photo by Anthony Mori, Elko Daily Free Press
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