JV Falcons 14, LCC 3

November 10, at LCC

The JV Falcons completed their perfect season with a solid win over their LCC rivals.

LCC jumped ahead in the first quarter with an impressive drive to the Falcons' 3 yard line. The Torrey defense bent, but did not break, and the Mavericks were forced to kick a field goal, to take an early 3-0 lead. The Falcon offense then went to work. A 15 yard run by Brian Brunger and a 47 yard pass from QB Casey Allred to wide receiver Alex Sawaya moved the ball to the LCC 9 yard line. From, there, Brian Djavaherian swept around the right side into the end zone, running over an LCC defender along the way. Lineman Bishop Thorpe made a great downfield block to spring Djavaherian on the play. The PAT failed, but Torrey led, 6-3.

The Falcons got a break when LCC, while driving inside Falcon territory, fumbled a snap. Brogan Heden recovered the fumble, and the Falcons began at their own 45. Following a spectacular 25 yard sideline catch by Brunger on third and long, the Falcons had the ball at the LCC 20. From there, Brunger took a sweep around left end and into the end zone. Allred's pass to Alex Sawaya gave the Falcons the 2 point conversion and a 14-3 lead late in the first half.

The game would end with the same score, as several later scoring opportunities came up short. Early in the second half, the Falcons started a drive at midfield. An 18 yard pass from Allred to tight end Eric Green, followed by a 12 yard counter to Brunger, brought the Falcons to the LCC 20. Brunger's sweep for a TD was called back on a penalty. Refusing to be denied, Allred then hit Brunger on a 25 yard pass, taking the Falcons to the LCC 3 yard line. A sack and a penalty moved the Falcons back to the 15, and this time, the Falcons were unable to find the end zone. After the field goal try was missed, the Falcons came up empty on this drive.

Late in the game, the Falcons mounted another drive deep into Maverick territory. Starting at their own 40, the Falcons got a 12 yard gain on a pass to Djavaherian, followed by a 30 yard Allred scramble. Allred's run appeared to result in a touchdown, but he was ruled to have stepped on the sideline and the ball was placed at the 20. From there, with under 2 minutes remaining, the Falcons were content to run the clock out on the win.

In holding the Mavericks to a mere 3 points, the Falcons got a stellar effort from the entire defense. The defense held LCC on 4th down several times, made numerous big hits, sacked the QB, batted passes away, and shut down LCC's receivers.

The JV squad finish the season 10-0, champs of Palomar League, and keep the streak of JV wins going with 22 in a row over 3 season. Congratulations to the team on a great season!

JV Falcons 22, Poway 20

November 4, at Torrey Pines:

The unsung heroes of the offensive line

The Falcons were sorely tested, and came up winners, stopping a last minute 2-point conversion that would have tied the game.

Poway handed the JV its only loss last year as Freshmen, and the Titans came out fired up to do the same thing this year. Poway returned the opening kickoff to the Falcon 27. Kicker Eric Green saved a touchdown, but Poway was able to use the great field position to advantage, and drove to a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead.

For the first time this season, the JV squad trailed in a game.

After receiving the ensuing kick, Torrey Pines could not generate any offense, and was forced to punt. A strong Titan rush caused a shanked punt, and Poway took over again in great field position at the Torrey 35. Poway drove from there all the way to the 3 yard line before Brian Brunger came up with a huge play--a pass interception in the end zone that gave the Falcons the ball at their own 20.

Again, the offense could not move, and again Poway rushed the punt, partially blocking the kick. Poway took over on the Falcon 27, and this time, would take advantage of the opportunity, scoring on an 8 yard TD pass. Just minutes into the game, the Falcons had spotted the Titans a 14 point advantage. Their perfect record in jeopardy, the JV would learn on this day whether they had the determination to come back against a tough foe.

The comeback started on the next series, and it came through the air. Quarterback Casey Allred returned to action following his recent injury, and he went to work, finding Alex Sawaya for a 20 yard gain and then a 38 yard gain, taking the Falcons down to the Poway 2 yard line. From there, Bryce Lewis put his head down and carried several Poway defenders into the end zone to cut the lead to 14-7, and that is how the first half would end.

The Falcons received to start the second half, and moved quickly down the field. A 15 yard gain by Robbie Gallagher was followed by a 20 yard pass to Gallagher. Then, Allred found Sawaya open over the middle for a 30 yard TD pass. The PAT attempt failed when the snap went awry, and the Falcons still trailed 14-13.

But not for long. The Falcon kickoff team stopped the Poway return at the 14, and a personal foul took Poway back to its own 7. From there, a great defensive effort moved the Titans closer to their own goal line. On 4th down, the Titan punter lined up in the back of the end zone, and watched as the snap sailed over his head, handing the Falcons a safety. That safety, making the score 15-14 Torrey Pines, would prove to be the difference in this game.

Torrey Pines received the kick following the safety, and returned it to the Poway 48. The Falcon offense again marched on the tiring Poway defense, this time behind several fine runs by Brunger. Following a 10 yard TD by Brunger, the Falcons led 22-14, and it looked like they had the game well in hand.

However, the Titans fought back to make the game interesting. Late in the game, Torrey Pines was driving deep into Poway territory. On 4th and 1, Poway stopped the Falcons by inches and took over at their own 23, with 2 minutes remaining. From there, a long pass reception and a personal foul penalty gave Poway the ball at the Falcon 12. A diving catch on a slant pass gave Poway the ball at the 1. With only seconds remaining, Poway dove in for the TD, making the score a heart-pounding 22-20.

On the 2 point conversion, Poway ran a fade route to the corner of the end zone, but Brunger was there defending, and he leapt high to bat the pass away. Chris Martin made a good play recovering the Poway onside kick, and all that remained was for Allred to take a knee to end the game.

It wasn't easy, but against Poway, the JV squad proved that it has a lot of heart as well as talent. This was the JV's 21st straight victory spanning 3 seasons. One more game remains to determine whether Coaches Blackwell and Staycer will have their second straight perfect season, against an always difficult LCC team.

Bryce, Brunger Break Broncos

October 28, at RB

JV Falcons 34, RB Broncos 9

Brian Brunger had another huge day for the JV Falcons, and running back Bryce Lewis contributed a TD and some fine running, to lead Torrey Pines to a 34-9 win over the Rancho Bernardo Broncos, the JV's 18th in a row over two seasons. Wide receiver Alex Sawaya also had a big day, catching two touchdown passes, while the JV defense held RB's potent offense in check.

As usual, the Falcons chose to kick off and rely on their defense to get the ball back, and as usual, that strategy worked. RB mounted a short initial drive that sputtered at the RB 40, forcing a punt. The Falcons then drove from their own 15 to the RB 45, when Lewis broke an inside counter, cut to the outside and raced down the sideline to put the JV in front 7-0.

Following another RB drive that fizzled, the Falcons drove from their own 13 to another score. Big plays on the drive included a 20 yard run by Lewis and a 28 yarder by Brian Djavaherian. During the drive, Sawaya caught two passes from QB Aaron Locicero, one for 28 yards and the TD pass for 12 yards, giving Torrey Pines a 13-0 lead after the PAT attempt was blocked.

The Broncos fought back, driving from their own 25 to the Falcon 19 before the defense stiffened. RB was forced to settle for a 36 yard field goal to cut the lead to 13-3 as the first half expired.

RB's onside kick to start the second half was successful, and RB took possession at the Torrey 41. After gaining one first down, the Broncos could go no further, and the Falcons took over on downs at the 27. Following a 20 yard gainer by Lewis and a 20 yard reception by Robbie Gallagher, Sawaya's 30 yard TD reception increased the Falcons' lead to 20-3.

The defense then held RB deep in its own territory, forcing a short punt that gave the Falcons the ball at the RB 45. From there, it only took one play to score, a 45 yard inside counter by Brunger that featured several outstanding cutbacks. Eric Green's PAT made the score 27-3.

Brunger then came up with a big defensive play, intercepting an RB pass at the RB 44, and returning it to the 34. An interception at the 5 ended that drive but after another RB punt, the Falcons had great field position at the TP 45. That drive was successful, culminating in a 20 yard TD toss, Locicero's third of the day, to Brunger, making the score 34-3.

RB drove for a TD late in the game to make the final score 34-9, but the day belonged to the Falcons.

Defensively, Sawaya, Gallagher, Bishop Thorpe and Danny Corbin handled RB's running game, while RB's passing was minimized by a strong rush and by good coverage by D-backs Brunger, Djavaherian and Quinn Early.

Kicker Eric Green has been consistent all season long, and against RB made 4 of 5 PATs. The Falcon O-Line, including Thorpe and Corbin, as well as Ryan Arena and Brett Goverman, continued to dominate and open huge holes, making all those long runs possible.

The victory was a great team effort against a tough team from Rancho Bernardo. Next up is an even bigger test, against a Poway team that handed last year's freshman team its only loss.

Falcons wallop Wolverines

October 21, at Torrey Pines

JV Falcons 34, Westview Wolverines 6

The Falcons kicked off to start this game, and the defense would once again hand the offense great field position, following a fumble recovery by Bishop Thorpe at the Westview 22. Four plays later, Brian Brunger scored on a 5 yard inside counter to put the Falcons on top 7-0. Westview countered with a long kickoff return to the Torrey 9 yard line. Kicker Eric Green made the touchdown saving tackle on that return. After pushing Westview back 4 yards in two plays, Westview scored on a pass on 3rd and 13. The PAT attempt failed, and Torrey still led 7-6. It was a close as Westview would come.

Torrey Pines started its next drive at the 28, and marched quickly to the 2, behind long runs from Brian Gallagher (one of 48 yards) and Brian Djavaherian. From the 2, QB Aaron Locicero ran a sneak for the second TD of the day, upping the Falcon lead to 14-6.

After another 3 and out effort by the defense, the Falcons began their next drive at their own 21, and moved to midfield. From there, Brunger took a screen pass 51 yards for the score and a 21-6 lead.

Westview's QB found a seam on a pass, and broke a receiver into the open, but Djavaherian made a touchdown saving tackle at the 18. Westview moved the ball as close as the 2 yard line, but a great stand by the defense, and tackles by Gallagher, Derek Hegyi and Danny Corbin kept the Wolverines out of the end zone. On 4th down, the Wolverines went for broke, but Thorpe's sack of the Westview QB left them with nothing to show from the effort. TP then began a long drive behind runs from Lewis, Brunger and Djavaherian that chewed up the rest of the second half clock, culminating in another screen pass for a TD to Brunger, this one from 25 yards out. At halftime, the Falcons lead 28-6.

Torrey Pines received the 2nd half kickoff, and drove to the Westview 8 yard line, behind a 34 yarder by Gallagher and a 39 yarder by Brunger. A penalty killed that drive, pushing Torrey back to the 22, and the Falcons settled for a 39 yard Green field goal to make the tally 31-6. After a Westview punt, runs by Chris Martin, Preston Bray and Danny Roth moved the Falcons to the Westview 12, where the drive stalled. From there, Green kicked his second field goal of the day, a 30 yarder that provided the final differential, 34-6.

Late in the 4th quarter, a Westview drive into Torrey territory was halted by an interception by Jacob Brotman. Time expired soon thereafter.

It was another fine effort by the JV.

Mt. Carmel Bedeviled By Falcons, 26-7

October 14, 2005, at Mt. Carmel

Following a bye week, the Falcons ran into a determined Mt. Carmel JV team, and had a close ballgame on their hands for most of the afternoon. Torrey Pines started quickly, jumping to an early 14-0 lead, and it looked like it might become another blowout for the JV squad, but then the Sundevils and their no-huddle offense went to work and mounted a comeback. With starting QB Casey Allred out of the game with a first quarter shoulder injury, and a 14-7 lead at the half, things looked a little dicey for the JV team.

However, the Falcons turned things around in the second half, shutting down the Sundevils and scoring on their first 2 possessions to put the ballgame out of reach 26-7.

The Falcons received the opening kickoff and drove 62 yards  in 4 plays to go ahead 7-0. Brian Brunger's 20 yard counter capped that drive.

The second Falcon touchdown was set up by a great defensive play by Colin Abney, who forced a fumble and then recovered that fumble at the Mt. Carmel 35. A screen to Bryce Lewis went for a big gain, but a late hit on Allred by a blitzing Sundevil knocked him out of the game. Aaron Locicero came on in relief, and the Falcons continued the march. A 7 yard TD run by fullback Robbie Gallagher a few plays later gave Torrey Pines a 14-0 lead.

Two series later, the Sundevils drove from their own 42 for two first downs, then found an opening off tackle for a 40 yard TD, to close the gap to 14-7.

Quinn Early's fine kickoff return to the Mt. Carmel 47 gave the Falcons great field position, but they were unable to capitalize, and were forced to punt. As the half ended, Mt. Carmel was driving into Falcon territory, and the Falcon faithful were a little anxious.

Not to worry, as the Falcon "D" stuffed the first Mt. Carmel possession. Following a short punt that gave the Falcons the ball at the Sundevil 38, the offense swiftly drove for a score, a 10 yard Brunger run that made the score 20-7. After Mt. Carmel's fake punt attempt failed, Torrey took over at its own 40. Successive passes by Locicero to Brunger (40 yards), Brian Djavaherian (10 yards) and Alex Sawaya (9 yards) took the Falcons to the Sundevil 1 yard line, and from there, Gallagher punched it in to up the lead to 26-7.

The defense again held, and the Falcons' ball-control offense drove downfield to wear down the clock and the Sundevils. The game ended with the Falcons on the Mt. Carmel 1 yard line, kneeling as time expired.

Defensively, Alex Sawaya, Abney, Bishop Thorpe, Danny Corbin and Lewis had outstanding games. On offense, Locicero filled in very well at QB, and Sawaya had several excellent receptions. Brunger did a great job of running and receiving, and Lewis had some of his best runs of the season. Overcoming key injuries and a suprisingly tough Mt. Carmel team, the JV showed that they have a lot of character and desire in this victory.

Coaches Blackwell and Staycer now have earned 16 victories in a row over 2 seasons, and more going back 3 years.

September 30, at Torrey Pines:

Wildcats Tamed by Falcons, 24-14

The JV Falcons won their 15th game in a row over two seasons, and their 5th straight this year, defeating a tough El Camino team in a close game.

Torrey Pines scored on its first possession, following a short punt that gave the Falcons the ball on the El Camino 46. Big yardage from running backs Brian Brunger and Robbie Gallagher took the Falcons to the El Camino 10 yard line, and from there, QB Casey Allred scampered around left end and into the end zone for the TD and a 7-0 lead.

El Camino drove to midfield on its next possession, but Quinn Early recovered a Wildcat fumble to end that threat. The Falcons moved the ball deep into Wildcat territory, but a Falcon fumble gave El Camino the ball right back. The Falcon defense held, and Torrey Pines began to move again. An El Camino defender made a nice play, stripping a Torrey runner of the ball and giving the Wildcats the ball on the Torrey 37.  El Camino would take advantage of the field position, scoring on a 27 yard TD pass at tied the game at 7.

The Falcon offense then went to work. Behind pass receptions by Brian Djavaherian, scrambling by Allred, and some long gains by Gallagher, the Falcons marched quickly to their second score. The TD came on a 5 yard blast by Gallagher, putting the JV squad in the lead for good, 14-7.

After the Falcon defense held, the offense got the ball back with time running short in the half. Allred marched the team down quickly, using the sidelines and timeouts to control the clock. With 7 seconds left in the half, Allred hit Brunger with a 20 yard TD pass that increased the Falcons lead to 21-7.

In the second half, after a Torrey punt, El Camino drove 67 yards to score on its first possession, to cut the lead to 21-14, but the defenses on both sides stiffened up after that. One El Camino threat was ended at the Falcon 28 on a Brunger interception.

Torrey Pines iced the game late in the fourth quarter. Starting at their own 27, the Falcons ran out the clock while driving to the El Camino 4 yard line. Eric Green's 25 yard field goal with 1:18 left in the game made the score 24-14. El Camino's remaining comeback hopes were dashed when Schatz forced a fumble that Bryce Lewis recovered with only seconds left in the game. Final score: Falcons 24, El Camino 14.

Defensively, end Alex Sawaya, lineman Schatz, linebacker Lewis and cornerback Carter Norfleet played very well. The offensive line opened big holes in the middle, and Allred's fleet feet kept the Wildcat defense off balance all game long.

Falcons Flatten Knights, 48-0

September 23, 2005, at Torrey Pines

The JV Falcons extended their impressive string of victories, defeating San Marcos in a lopsided game that featured 5 different players scoring 7 touchdowns, and a defensive effort that held San Marcos to negative yardage on most of its possessions.

The Falcons kicked off to start the game. On 4th down at the San Marcos 18, a fierce rush forced a bad punt, and the offense took over at the 29. On the second play, Brian Brunger scored from 12 yards out, giving the Falcons a 6-0 lead. That was the start of an assault that had the score at 27-0 in the first quarter, and 34-0 at the half.

Brunger intercepted a pass on San Marcos' next play from scrimmage, and returned it 52 yards to give the Falcons a 13-0 lead. Eric Green then intercepted a pass at the San Marcos 31, and caught a 28 yard pass from QB Casey Allred moments later to extend the lead to 20-0.  Allred, playing safety, got his turn by intercepting at the San Marcos 23 and returning the interception for a TD and a 27-0 score.

Following a San Marcos punt, TP began a second quarter drive at its own 38. A 58 yard run by Brian Djavaherian took Torrey to the San Marcos 4, and Preston Bray capped that drive with a 2 yard plunge. At the half, the score was 34-0.

In the opening drive of the second half, Bray got to stretch his legs, taking a handoff off tackle and racing 58 yards for his second touchdown, extending the lead to 41-0. The day's scoring was completed late in the third quarter, when Torrey mounted a drive behind the running of Chris Martin, Jake Burak and Danny Roth. Burak's 2 yard dive made the score 48-0, and that is where it would end.

In the 4th quarter, the Torrey defense continued to hold, and the offense drove one last time inside the San Marcos 10, but a fumble into the end zone ended that drive, and time ran out shortly thereafter.

The win extended the JV's winning streak to 14 over the past two years. Congratulations, Coaches Blackwell and Staycer!!

Falcons Maul Marauders, improve to 3-0

September 16, 2005, at Mira Mesa

The JV Falcons passed an important test, defeating a good Mira Mesa squad 27-12 in a tough battle. Big plays were key to this victory, as a punt block and a fumble recovery inside the Mira Mesa 10 led to 14 of the Falcon points.

For the second week in a row, the Falcon offense got things rolling following a Bishop Thorpe punt block. After Mira Mesa's initial drive fizzled, Thorpe's block gave Torrey Pines the ball at the Mira Mesa 6. Three plays later, fullback Robbie Gallagher's 1 yard plunge gave the Falcons an early 7-0 lead.

The teams exchanged possessions several times after that. In the second quarter, Mira Mesa took advantage of good field position, and mounted a 40 yard scoring drive. The PAT was unsuccessful, however, and the Falcons held a slim 7-6 lead. Falcon fans were sweating as the first half ended, following a turnover at the Falcon 20, but the defense held and the JV kept the lead going into halftime.

The Falcons came out strong in the second half, scoring on their initial drive, behind a long screen pass to Bryce Lewis, a 25 yard scramble by QB Casey Allred, and a 25 yard TD burst by Gallagher. Eric Green's extra point kick made the score 14-6.

On the ensuing kickoff, Brian Djavaherian stripped the Mira Mesa return man of the ball, and Aaron Locicero alertly fell on the ball to give the Falcons possession at the Marauder 3 yard line. Gallagher punched it in from there, and suddenly, a close game had become 21-6.

Mira Mesa promptly narrowed the score, returning the kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown that brought the score to 21-12.

At that point, both defenses stiffened up, and the teams exchanged several possessions.

Late in the fourth quarter, Torrey mounted its final scoring drive. A 35 yard reception by Lewis gave the Falcons a first down at the Mira Mesa 15. Two plays later, Gallagher scored his fourth TD of the day, a 10 yard carry that made the score 27-12. That was how it would end.

Notable was the play of defensive end/wide receiver Alex Sawaya, who made many tackles on defense, and caught a long pass reception from Allred. Linemen Brogan Heden, Danny Schatz and Ryan Arena did great work in the trenches.

Torrey Pines JV 35, Castle Park Trojans 6

September 9, 2005, at Castle Park

The JV Falcons burst out to a 35-6 halftime lead against the Castle Park squad, then coasted to victory. Leading the way were running backs Brian Brunger (2 touchdowns), Robby Gallagher, and Bryce Lewis, with stellar defensive efforts by lineman Danny Corbin, lineman Bishop Thorpe, end Alex Sawaya, and cornerback Carter Norfleet.

After holding Castle Park to 3 and out on the Trojan's initial possession, Thorpe got the ball rolling by blocking the Trojan punt. The Falcons recovered the ball on the Castle Park 26, and 2 plays later, Bryce Lewis' 18 yard run put the Falcons on top 7-0.

After another Trojan punt, Carter Norfleet's 15 yard return gave the team great field position at the Falcon 45, and soon after, Robby Gallagher's 50 yard dash up the middle boosted the score to 14-0.

Castle Park's next possession ended with a Brunger pass interception. Brunger returned the interception to the Trojan 8, but a penalty took the ball back to the Trojan 37. Not to worry, as on the first play, Brunger's counter around left end was wide open, and he raced into the end zone to make the score 21-0.

Castle Park's only offensive highlight was on the first play of its next possession, as it broke a sweep open for a 70 yard touchdown. After missing the extra point, the first quarter score was 21-6.

Torrey Pines was stopped on its next possession, but the defense held Castle Park, and a bad punt snap gave the Falcons the ball on the Castle Park 47. A 25 yard pass from QB Casey Allred to Brunger, who made a marvelous catch, and a 15 yard screen to Lewis got the Falcons inside the 10. Brian Djavaherian's 4 yard sweep capped off that drive, giving Torrey a 28-6 lead.

The day's scoring was completed near the end of the half, when Brunger took another counter 39 yards into the end zone, virtually untouched. His PAT, his fifth of the day, made the score 35-6.

In the second half, Castle Park showed occasional signs of life, driving for a few first downs, but could not sustain any drives, and the Torrey defense remained stingy. Linebacker Sassan Mostafi made a number of tackles to help keep the Trojans in check.

The great effort of the Falcon offensive line also deserves mention. They opened some huge holes in the Castle Park defense, and were a key to the team's offensive performance.

Torrey Pines JV vs. Santa Fe Christian Eagles

Defense makes another swarming gang tackle against Santa Fe Christian

Photos available here.

September 2, 2005, at TPHS

In their first-ever meeting, the Falcon JV won handily over the Santa Fe Christain Eagles, 28-8, extending Coach Blackwell’s winning streak to 11 over two seasons.

The Eagles kicked off to start the game, and Torrey’s offense set the tone for the day, marching to the first of 4 scores, behind 57 yards of rushing by Robby Gallagher and a 20 yard TD pass from QB Casey Allred to tight end Mark Rafalovich. Brian Brunger’s PAT made the early score 7-0.

Santa Fe Christian then drove to the Falcons’ 50 yard line, but the defense, anchored by Gallagher, Bryce Lewis and Bishop Thorpe, stiffened, and forced a punt. The Falcons took over on their own 30. A few plays into that series, Allred hit receiver Alex Sawaya at midfield on a crossing pattern and Sawaya took it in from there, a 56 yard touchdown reception that made the score 14-0.

SFC made a bid to get back in the game with a nice drive that extended to the Falcons' 3 yard line. A fumble, recovered by tackle Collin Abney, ended that opportunity, and the Falcons started another drive. Gallagher got the offense out of the hole by taking the first handoff 37 yards. Runs by Lewis and pass receptions by Brunger took the Falcons deep into SFC territory, and from the 24, Brunger swept left behind a great block from Gallagher and into the end zone. Brunger's PAT made the score 21-0 as the first half drew to a close.

SFC threatened again early in the second half, and again the Torrey defense came up big in the clutch, stopping SFC on 4 downs inside the 3 yard line. Touchdown-saving tackles were made by Brunger, Gallagher, Lewis and Brian Djavaherian.

The offense took over on downs at the 3, and for the second time, marched 97 yards for a score. Lewis had 45 rushing yards on this drive, and Djavaherian capped it off with a 22 yard sweep around left end for the TD and a 28-0 Falcon lead early in the fourth quarter.

After an exchange of possessions, the Eagles finally got on the scoreboard with a 60 yard drive that made the score 28-8 with 3 minutes left in the game. The Falcons offense then ran out the clock, driving to the SFC 25 as time expired.

It was an excellent showing by this JV squad. Next week, the JV takes on Castle Park in an away game at 3pm.