Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland comes up just short in 8-man loss to Blue Ridge

RURAL STREATOR — One yard away from potentially tying it early in the third quarter and three yards from definitely tying it with under three minutes remaining in the fourth.

That’s how close the Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland Falcons were from catching a Blue Ridge/DeLand/Weldon team the Falcons had trailed since four plays into the second quarter.

Both times, however, FCW came up just a little bit short, and that’s ultimately what the Falcons wound up doing Friday at the Wood Shed in an eventual 38-28, Illinois 8-Man Football Association defeat.

“A few miscues here and there on offense where we couldn’t put the final plays of drives together,” FCW coach Todd Reed said. “Blue Ridge is a very solid football team, very fundamental, strong, physical, and we couldn’t stop them.

“It comes down to physicality, and they were just a more physical football team than us tonight. But I’m super proud of our kids. ... Nothing to hang out heads about.”

The Falcons are now 2-5, while Blue Ridge — which FCW hadn’t played since 2012, when both co-ops were still playing 11-man football and were members of the Heart of Illinois Conference — moves to 4-3, its I8FA playoff hopes in much better shape than the Falcons’.

“Extremely happy,” Blue Ridge/DeLand/Weldon coach Matt Schubert said. “The guys put their heart and soul into it, and also a lot of credit to Flanagan. Just a great overall game that came down to the last couple plays there, and we were able to pull it out.”

Attempting only two passes all night, Blue Ridge rode the legs of a pair of 100-yard rushers. Speedy running back Landon Slade ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns, while 5-11, 220-pound fullback Jamison Berkler rambled for 134 yards and two TDs of his own — the last one a backbreaking, 46-yard run up the gut against a sold-out FCW defense on fourth-and-3 with just over a minute remaining.

Just a couple minutes earlier, FCW had a chance to perhaps force overtime. Sophomore quarterback Seth Jones — who came on in relief of starter Masen Persico after the later suffered a first-half injury — scrambled under pressure on third-and-goal from the 6-yard line and found Zander Radke in the end zone to pull the Falcons to within two points, 30-28. The Falcons used a timeout before running the potential game-tying two-point conversion play, but the play fell apart right at the snap, and makeshift receiver Payton Quaintance was stopped short with FCW still behind and only 2:56 remaining.

Four plays later, Berkler broke the long run to put the game away.

It mirrored a similar sequence early in the second half, when FCW turned the ball over on downs at the Blue Ridge 1-yard line just to see the Knights march 99 yards down the field and make it a two-possession game.

It was a valiant effort from the Falcons on Woodland’s homecoming, though, despite being outgained 372-251 in yards from scrimmage and seeing multiple starters leave with injuries. Jones (10 of 19, 104 yards, one TD, one INT), Kesler Collins (three receptions, 34 yards) and Quaintance (two catches, 24 yards) led the passing attack, while a balanced running game was paced by Persico (48 yards), Quaintance (41 yards, one TD), Jesse Simpson (31 yards, one touchdown) and Collins (24 yards).

“The other kids who stepped up and got some opportunities to play came in and got some good minutes,” Reed said.

Aydan Radke recorded a tackle for a loss and recovered a fumble for the Falcons defense, while Collins finished with three TFLs and Ethan Kane had two.

FCW will finish the regular season with two games on the road, starting at defending I8FA champion Polo next Friday night.