Fallon running back Nathan Heck breaks through the line during Fallon's 58-17 drubbing over Wooster on Friday.
A 30-point explosion in the second quarter left little doubt of the outcome.
Adding another 21 points in the third quarter, the Fallon football team rolled to a 58-17 win over Wooster in a Northern Division I-A matchup Friday at the Edward Arciniega Complex.
Offense, defense and special teams all chipped in with scores as Fallon improved to 2-0 in league and 2-1 overall. Wooster falls to 0-2 in league and 1-2 overall.
The Wave’s attack was a bruising running game totaling 340 yards. Curiously, no Fallon running back broke 100 yards, although Trae Workman had 95 yards on two carries including a 76-yard touchdown run.
Quarterback Joe Pyle was an effective 3 of 7 for 34 yards and one TD.
“I think we came out real focused and played physical,” Fallon coach Brooke Hill said. “This was our best game of the year and played a solid four quarters.”
Tyler Bagby started the scoring with a 66-yard punt return for a TD but injured his ankle in the second quarter. The prognosis is grim as Bagby did not return and may be out several weeks.
Nevertheless, the Fallon scoring barrage was just beginning. Pyle led the Wave on a 15-play, 96-yard drive capped by a 3-yard TD run from Charles Fulks. Fulks carried six times for 29 yards on the drive, while Pyle ran for 28 yards and connected with Cameron Beyer for an 11-yard gain.
Pyle nearly had a second TD pass when he threaded a dart over the top of the Wooster defense to Dylan Jabines, but Jabines was unable to keep his foot inbounds.
“We just ran the ball really well,” Pyle said. “We had a better week of practice and are getting more comfortable as a passing unit.”
On Wooster’s next possession, quarterback Hunter Triplett was picked off by Jordan Schultz, who stepped in front of the receiver and raced 30 yards for the score and a 21-0 lead.
Aided by a fumble by Workman on a punt, the Colts hit a 25-yard field goal. Fulks, though, busted loose for a 62-yard kickoff return plus a 15-yard facemask penalty to set up the offense at the Colts’ 19.
Two plays later, Fulks sliced through the defense for a 19-yard TD run and a 28-3 lead.
The Wave’s defense again got on the scoreboard when Justin Hatfield sacked Triplett in the end zone for a safety. On the next drive, Nathan Heck carried three times for 23 yards highlighted by a 4-yard TD plunge to ice the game.
As for the defense, the unit held Wooster to 144 total yards through three quarters in addition to the two scores.
“Our line played very well and just blew that (Wooster’s) line up,” linebacker Riley Williams said. “The helped us linebackers with the pass rush. The line just worked and made him (Triplett) uncomfortable.”
In the third quarter, Pyle connected with Connor Richardson for a 14-yard TD pass, while Workman added his run and Dylan Jabines ran free for a 69-yard TD run.
The only two big miscues from Fallon came on punt returns, as Bagby and Workman each muffed a punt and Wooster recovered.
Fallon’s defense, meanwhile, shut down the Triplett, who came into the game as the league’s most accurate passer with a 62 percent completion rate. Triplett completed 12 of 26 passes for 176 yards with two TDs and one interception.
The Colts rushing attack was harmless, as Fallon allowed 69 yards on 26 carries; although Wooster gained 51 yards in the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand. Triplett hit on four of six attempts for 62 yards in the fourth quarter.
“We wore them down a little bit and can run the ball,” Hill said. “If you can run the football, that’s always a plus.”
Freshmen slip past Colts
The Fallon freshmen football team rallied past visiting Wooster last week 26-22.
Trent Thorn scored on a 34-yard TD run in the first quarter and added a seven-yard TD run in the second quarter. Wooster put up 22 unanswered points in the third quarter, but Fallon rallied.
Christian Nemeth plowed in from two yards and Matt Goings added a one-yard TD run to give Fallon the win.
The Wave takes on South Tahoe on Thursday.