Fallon 18, Galena 7: Wave overcomes Grizzlies on wet field

Fallon overcame a solid opponent on the road — not to mention some miserable weather — to pick up its first win of the 2023 high school football season on Friday.

The Greenwave scored the only second-half points of the night to beat Galena, 18-7, in a 5A-3A matchup played in driving rain in south Reno.

Fallon improved to 1-1 in its two games this season against 5A competition. The Greenwave opened the season with a 23-16 loss at Reed on Aug. 18.

Galena lost its second straight and dropped to 1-2.

Key to the win

Trailing 7-6 in the third quarter, Fallon took over at its own 6 following a punt. Then, despite persistent rain and sketchy footing, the Greenwave put together the best drive by either team, marching down the field to complete a 94-yard drive that consumed much of the third-quarter clock.

Later, clinging to a 12-7 lead, Fallon came up with the night’s biggest turnover, jumping on the ball when the Grizzlies muffed a punt return. Working off a short field, the Greenwave converted the miscue into points with a short TD run with 1:23 left.

Fallon quarterback Bryce Adams runs on the option in the first quarter.
Photo by Thomas Ranson/LVN

 Fallon quarterback Bryce Adams finished with two scoring passes. He hit Roland Grondin with a screen pass in the first quarter that turned into a 67-yard score with more than one Galena defender falling on the slippery grass, then found Baylor Sandberg for a 13-yard TD connection in the third,

Next up

Fallon opens its 3A league schedule Friday at home against South Tahoe.

Galena plays at Bishop Manogue on Friday. The former league rivals are in different divisions this season following the NIAA’s off-season football realignment.