Falcon Football Survives Weather and Mankato East

It was one of the most bizarre games I have ever witnessed, and I do believe most of the people in the press box at Wolverton Field on the Mankato East campus agreed.

The Faribault Falcons survived wind-whipped rain and a talented Mankato East Cougar team in a 19-18  win in the quarterfinal round of the Section 2 Class 4A playoffs Tuesday night.

There appeared to be two important decisions in this game.

Faribault won the coin flip and deferred to start the contest, so they got the wind in the first and fourth quarters. It was a gusty wind that threw rain in the face of those going against it and the rain came down harder and harder as the game progressed.

After one first down, Mankato East was stymied by the Faribault defense to start the game and the punt went straight up into the wind and ended up rolling back toward the Cougars, giving Faribault the ball at the 31-yard line of Mankato East.

The Falcons could not score on that first drive and turned it over on downs.

Mankato East then started on the 20 of Faribault and couldn't move it much.

The Falcons started at the 48 of Mankato East and, on the sixth play of the drive, senior Felipe Ramirez darted through a hole up the middle for a 30-yard touchdown. The extra point kick by junior Cade Kletschka would prove later to be the difference in the game.

On their next series, Mankato East moved the ball only to end in a T.J. Hunt interception. Faribault then marched 83 yards in 16 plays, with Kade Hart scoring on a four-yard keeper.

The Falcons tried a fade pass to the corner of the end zone to Cody Ehlers but by this time it was the second quarter and they were throwing into the wind. Hart's touchdown came with 50.3 seconds to go in the half and Faribault was up 13-0.

Faribault's final drive of the first half started at their 27 after another Cougar turnover and with 19 seconds to go Faribault ran a play instead of taking the knee to end the half.

It cost them when there was a fumble recovered and returned for what was thought initially to be a touchdown.

An inadvertent whistle did not allow the score but just a couple of plays later Mankato East scored with 1.5 seconds to go in the half. They missed the extra point kick attempt and at the half the score was Faribault 13, Mankato East 6.

The Falcons got the ball to start the second half and after being stifled following three plays decided to go for it on a fourth down and long instead of punt into the wind.

Faribault was on their own at 20-yard line and the looks in the press box cast my way were of bewilderment by Mankato members of the press and the scoreboard and play clock operators. Frankly I was a bit surprised myself.

A couple of plays later, the Cougars scored on a 20-yard run and they threw and completed the two-point conversion on a crossing pattern in the end zone. It was Faribault 13, Mankato East 12 at that point.

Faribault would start at their 20 and fumble again to set up a short field.

The Cougars scored on a two-yard pass and tried to run in for the two-point conversion and it was no good so the score was Mankato East 18, Faribault 13 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Falcons' decisions not to punt into the wind no matter how deep they were in their own territory was proven to be wise when Mankato East, faced with the same dilemma, was attempting a punt and the snap wasn't fielded by the punter. He was tackled while recovering the ball at the 2-yard line.

Kade Hart scored his second touchdown with 6:26 to go in the game on a one-yard keeper with Ramirez out with what appeared to be cramps. Faribault tried to run in the two-point conversion and it didn't work.

The score was 19-18 and felt about as comfortable as a toothache with plenty of time left.

Mankato East had a long return to the 45 of Faribault and sputtered but would still get another shot.

With just over 2 minutes to go they would end up starting a drive on the Falcon 36 and tried a hand off and then flip to an end for a reverse after a short run and a couple of pass attempts. The ball ended up on the ground and Michael Buendorf recovered.

Faribault then took a knee a few times and the game was over.

The Falcons go to Southwest State University in Marshall to face the top seed Tigers Saturday night.

The kickoff is scheduled for 6PM, so coverage on Power 96 Radio 95.9 FM will be at 5:45PM.