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Naples team enters the field to begin the 2011 season against Flanagan - picture courtesy of Kyle Shatto
Golden Eagles come from behind to put away the pesky Falcons 49-41
In a game that had the scoreboard begging for mercy, the Eagles rack up 395 yards on the ground and keep the Falcons off the field when they needed to. While Flanagan boasted several burners on offense and broke many big plays, it was the Golden Eagles that controlled the tempo and the game in the final quarter. Naples scored on long drives while the Falcons used their speed at wide receiver as well as numerous screen passes to score quickly. But in the end, the Dollar defense stopped the Falcons to secure the win.
The game starts in familiar fashion as TK Okubo sends the opening kickoff into the end zone. After the Falcons can’t move the ball, the Eagles go on offense on their own 48. Billy Crook, Manny Morgan, & Steven Williams take turns running the ball deep into Flanagan territory. Crook finishes it off with a 22 yard TD pass to a leaping Thomas Martin. After the Okubo PAT, it is 7-0 midway through the first period.
Okubo does three things very well – touchbacks, extra points, and yes, onside kicks. Having done the first two, the onside kick is easily recovered by Naples, and they go on offense. This time though the Falcon defense is up to the challenge, forcing Naples to punt after 3 plays. The Crook punt sets up Flanagan at their 24. They go quietly once again and their short punt sets the Eagles up at the Falcon 38. Naples again goes 3 and out, although Martin just misses a fingertip catch for a first down.
The “defensive” struggle continues as the Crook punt pins Flanagan back inside their own 10. The Falcons punt again, and Naples tries one more time to generate some offense, this time from their own 29. Steven Williams is able to pick up 6 yards on 1st down, but a holding call proves too much for the Eagles to overcome. The Crook punt finds the end zone, and the touchback gives the Ball to Flanagan at their own 20. The Falcons have speed at several positions, and RB Brian Sanon proves it as he runs by the Eagle secondary for a 67 yard touchdown. The PAT ties the game at 7 with 35 seconds left in the first quarter of this “low scoring” contest.
Williams is able to return the kickoff to the 29 setting up the fifth Naples drive. Crook breaks off his biggest run of the night, a 29 yarder to the Falcon 17. A Naples penalty and a 10 yard sack pushes the ball back to the 27, and Okubo comes in to try a 44 yard field goal. He doesn’t get all of this one, and it comes up just short.
Flanagan flaunts the speed it has at wide receiver as the Notre Dame commit Justin Ferguson out leaps the Eagle defender on his way to an 80 yard catch and run for the touchdown. With 8:11 left in the half, the Falcons are up 14-7. On the ensuing possession Manny Morgan shows his speed and strength as he breaks tackles on his way to a 44 yard burst. Now at the Falcon 17, Billy Crook runs the ball five straight plays to the Falcon 1 yard line. In comes potential short yardage specialist Cody Thoman as he fakes the pitch and keeps the ball himself for the 1 yard TD run. Okubo’s PAT ties it at 14 all with just 4:32 before the intermission.
Okubo surprises Flanagan again with another onsides kick, this one recovered by Morgan at the Falcon 49. But this drive fizzles and another perfect punt by Crook pins Flanagan inside their own 10. The Falcons have just over three minutes before the half and they move quickly. Two deep sideline passes force the Eagles into a pair of pass interference penalties while Isaac Lyle has to make a shoestring tackle to save a touchdown on a 20 yard gain by Falcon Corey Jones. The Dollar defense stiffens forcing a field goal attempt, which is good from 40 yards. Naples gets the ball back with 2:23 to go, down 14-17.
Steven Williams loses the handle on the kickoff return and The Falcons looks to pad their lead before the half. The Naples defense will have none of this, as they force another punt attempt. This one is blocked, and the Eagles are back in business, with just 1:31 in a first half that doesn’t seem to want to end.
After a slow start, Crook & Morgan rip off 16 yard runs, moving the ball into the Falcon side of the field. Isaac Dutes carries the ball, tip toeing down the sideline, all the way to the Flanagan 18. With the Falcon defense looking run, Crook once again finds Martin in the end zone for his 2nd TD of the night. The Eagles regain the lead and go into the locker room up 21-17 in a wild 2nd quarter. Just a glimpse of what was to come.
After taking the kickoff, the Eagles are able to move to midfield. A penalty and an 8 yard sack though sets up 4th and 31. Crook sees a seam in the defense, and fakes the punt. His run however comes up short and sets up a short field for the Falcons. It disappears quickly though as Falcon QB Justin Bennett finishes off the mini drive with an 8 yard td run. The PAT sails wide left, and the Falcons cling to a slim 23-21 lead with 7:31 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Williams returns the kickoff 25 yards to the 37, and Naples looks to take the lead back. A steady dose of Morgan & Crook on the ground keeps the Falcons looking run. A 15 yard penalty for an illegal block sets the Eagles back, but Morgan get 12 of them back on his next carry. In steps Tight End Dominic Salemme who hauls in a 24 yard pass from Crook, all the way to the Falcon 30. Three plays later, Crook scores on a 3 yard keeper and after Okubo does his thing, Naples is back on top for the moment, up 28-23.
Okubo tries yet another onsides kick, but this one only goes 9 yards and 30 inches before it goes out of bounds. The Falcons respond with a 30 yard scamper and a screen pass to score again. The 2point PAT pass falls incomplete and the score remains 29-28 in favor of the visitors from Pembroke Pines. Just 2:08 left in the quarter.
Back and forth we go as Williams returns the kickoff to the 23. On the next play, Crook breaks free, and only a desperation jersey tackle saves a touchdown. The 22 yard run puts the ball on the Eagle 45. On the next play, Falcon lineman Desmond Mitchell takes the handoff away from Crook and runs it in for a touchdown. The 2nd Falcon touchdown in 47 seconds stuns the crowd as Flanagan takes the 35-28 lead after missing yet another PAT. Looking to bury the Eagles, an over excited gunner for the Falcons is offsides on the kickoff. While it is only a 5 yard penalty, this let’s Steven Williams move up a little closer. On the next kickoff attempt, he makes the Falcons pay as he weaves his way through Falcon’s kick coverage team and breaks a few tackles on his way to the end zone. His 84 yard return and Okubo PAT knots the score at 35 all. 3 touchdowns in just 61 seconds. It appears that some of the fans need oxygen.
Okubo looks to swing the momentum all the way to the Eagles side with yet another onsides kick. This one is almost recovered by the Eagles, but instead sets the Falcons up at mid field. They can’t move the ball, and a snap over the Falcon quarterbacks head not only cost them 16 yards, but causes some clipboards to fly on the visitor sidelines. The Falcon punt is brought back by Thomas Martin to the 23.
Naples has thrown the ball 18 times so far tonight. But on this drive, they keep the ball on the ground. 12 straight runs suck the life out of the Falcon defense and burns 7 minutes off the clock. A one yard TD plunge gives the Eagles the lead again with 4:52 left, 42-35.
By this time the Falcon special teams have onside kick on the brain. So what does Okubo do? A pooch kick lands behind the shell shocked Flanagan players where Naples recovers. On the next play, Steven Williams puts the stake in their hearts with a 25 yard draw play into the end zone. After a busy night, Okubo’s leg is about to fall off, so Junior to be Clay Curvin comes in to tack on the PAT. With just 3:25 left, Naples opens up their biggest lead of the night, 49-35
Curvin likes what he sees, so he tries a pooch kick as well. Malacchi Esdale covers this one, and the Eagle offense is back on the field once again. This time they are led by Cody Thoman on this last short drive. He is able to break off an 18 yard run to the set up first and goal, but the Eagles will not break the 50 point barrier tonight. A fumble gives the ball back to Flanagan for one last shot to pad their stats. They do, as Wide out Corey Jones burns the Eagle “D” for a 50 yard score. A bad snap denies the chance to put up any more points, so all that is left is the Falcons try for an onsides kick. Unfortunately for them, they Eagles see it a lot in practice and easily recover it to seal the victory.
The Falcons were able to score quickly on big plays, but the Dollar defense rose up when they had to. The ball is put up in the air 18 times tonight by Naples, but in the end, it is the Eagles ground game that pounds another opponent into submission. The special teams for Flanagan were no match for a Naples squad that showcased punting, onside kicks, and the Williams kickoff return for a TD. Next up – Hialeah in the Kickoff Classic
