Fallon junior Carson Melendy finished with 182 rushing yards in Fallon’s state semifinal loss on Saturday.
Photo by Thomas Ranson.
Down by one in double overtime, the Fallon football team opted to go all in.
After watching SLAM Academy take the lead with a 3-yard run to go up by 7 after the PAT, the Greenwave responded with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Bird to Barry Mitchell.
Instead of attempting to tie the game with a PAT from Bird, Fallon went for the win. With running back Carson Melendy lined up behind Bird, the junior quarterback handed the ball to Melendy, who was stopped by the Bulls’ defense as SLAM Academy prevented the upset, 28-27, on Saturday at Basic High School.
SLAM Academy will meet Truckee for the third Class 3A championship in a row when both teams collide next week in Las Vegas.
Fallon’s offense was rolling in the second quarter to take a 14-7 lead into the locker room.
After a scoreless first quarter, Bird ran into the endzone for a 6-yard score before kicking the PAT. The Bulls, though, responded when Damien Nevil broke free for a 59-yard touchdown run to tie the game. Bird’s 1-yard touchdown run with less than five minutes to go gave the Greenwave a one-possession lead.
Fallon was shut out in the second half before scoring in each of the overtime periods.
A blocked punt was the difference in the half when two plays later, quarterback Alaijah Young scored on a 7-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
Before overtime, though, the Bulls had a chance to win with nine seconds left when they missed a 31-yard field goal attempt.
In the first overtime, Fallon lost the toss but scored on second down when Bird found Wyatt Peek for a 1-yard touchdown. Young tied the game on a 12-yard run after Nevil was stopped by Trevor Hyde for a loss.
In the second overtime, the Bulls converted a third-and-goal from the 3 to take the lead when Nevil crossed the goal line. Melendy’s 4-yard first-down run set up Fallon’s touchdown pass before the failed two-point conversion to end the game and send the Bulls to the state championship. Melendy finished with 182 rushing yards.
POSTSEASON RECOGNITION
Senior Trevor Hyde was named the Northern 3A’s Lineman of the Year and junior Carson Melendy was named Co-Athlete of the Year to lead the Greenwave, who finished second in the region.
Going into the state semifinal game, Melendy eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark, rushing for 1,075 yards on 152 carries and 12 touchdowns. Hyde was one of the key reasons for Fallon’s success on the ground as he played both sides of the ball. He was second on the team in tackles with 53 but led with eight tackles for loss and six sacks.
Earning first-team honors were junior wide receiver Wyatt Peek and senior offensive and defensive lineman Garrett Payne. Second-team honors went to sophomore wide receiver Calin Anderson, offensive lineman Ryder Letourneau, senior defensive lineman Chad Agaman, sophomore defensive lineman Caleb Edgmon, sophomore linebacker Avery Dealoia and defensive back Peek.
Peek and Anderson combined for more than 1,000 receiving yards with Anderson leading the team with 560 on 25 receptions and six touchdowns. Peek had 24 catches for 486 yards and five touchdowns.
Payne, who missed part of the season, had 13 tackles, including three for loss, while Edgmon had 31 tackles including six for loss and five sacks, while causing a team-high three fumbles. Agaman recorded 26 tackles, including six for loss and a pair of sacks, and Dealoia was fourth on the team in tackles with 33 to go with four for loss and two caused fumbles. Letourneau also forced a fumble.
Junior quarterback Matthew Bird and senior linebacker Manny Karaway were honorable mention selections.
Bird racked up 1,200 yards in the air and 12 touchdowns to go with 602 yards on the ground and four scores. Karaway had 49 tackles, including five for loss, going into Saturday’s game against SLAM Academy. Peek and Karaway each had an interception, and Karaway also caused two fumbles.