FOOTBALL SPORT SHORTS, 2009
(Latest football shorts will be at the top of the section. Scroll down to check out past results. Tournament games do not count toward win/loss record. Visit the Sports Section for football features.)

Check out the 2009 schedule and stay up to date on stats and standings. The Eagles finished the season at 5-6 overall and 1-3 in the West Sequoia League. Scrimmages do not count toward the overall record.

FOOTBALL, 2009

FC PLAYERS RECEIVE AWARDS–Dec. 4
This year FC’s Tim Miller and Landon Martens were named WSL wide receiver of the year and running back of the year respectively, with Jeff Roseth nominated 2nd team wide receiver.

On the defensive front Tyler Revis received line backer of the year, while Andrew Evans and Aaron Hedrick took 1st team line backer and defensive back respectively.

SEASON END

CUNNINGS NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR–Nov. 19
After leading FC to a 5-5 regular season record and a playoff matchup with Lindsay, head coach Bonner Cunnings was named West Sequoia League Coach of the Year, Nov. 19.

“Our goal this season was to make it to the playoffs and we did,” Cunnings said. “We competed all year against some solid programs with a squad of about 20 young men and earned the reputation for being a clean, hard fighting, tough football program.”

A season after school administration was forced to cut the football season short in 2008 due to lack of healthy and eligible players, Cunnings rebuilt his team and coaching staff for the 2009 season, earning a playoff berth for the first time in six years.

DUARTE OUTRACES EAGLES’ DEFENSE–Nov. 20
Senior Jonathan Duarte scored a season-high four touchdowns, and the Lindsay Cardinals got past FC 42-20 in the first round of the CIF Division V Central Section playoffs, Nov. 20.

“Even though we lost, it was an awsome experience to finish my senior football season in the playoffs,” senior quarterback Riley Endicott said. “I’m thankful and proud of these guys around me. I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next year.”

Duarte finished the game with 17 rushes for 148 helping the Cardinals advance to take on Liberty Madera-Ranchos in the second round, Nov. 27.

Despite the the Lindsay offensive surge, defensive coordinator Ervin Hernandez says FC’s preparation for the Cardinals’ offensive was thorough.

“After watching a great deal of film on Lindsay, I felt the coaching staff prepared our players very well for their offense,” Hernandez said. “We broke down their key plays which consisted of the option run during practice, but they ran it very effective this game compared to previous weeks. Duarte is one heck of an athlete and we knew they were going to rely on their big plays to beat us.”

For FC, sophomore Jeff Roseth caught 4 passes for 84 yards and a TD, senior Tim Miller had 4 receptions for 42 yards and a TD and senior Landon Martens wrapped up his memorable season with 59 yards on 22 carries. Endicott completed 10 of 38 passes for 138 yards and 2 TDs while facing constant pressure from the Cardinals’ front line.

Martens led the Eagles with 1247 yards on 209 carries for the season, while Miller caught a team-high 51 receptions for 798 yards.

An efficient Lindsay defense hindered the Eagles running game as FC struggled to move the ball.

“We just could not move the ball offensively,” Hernandez said. “That put our defense in a tight hole, which we could not dig ourselves out of. But I am proud of every single one of our guys. This was their first playoff game and I felt the “new legacy” the seniors started will continue with the underclassmen coming up.”

After wrapping up his final game in an Eagles uniform senior Aaron Hedrick reflected on the season.

“This season was a lot of fun,” Hedrick said. “It was very different than any other team I’ve ever played on. This year we played for the Lord and really influenced the lives of the people we played against.”

The Eagles finished the season at 5-6 overall and 1-3 in the West Sequoia League, earning a playoff spot for the first time in six years.

“This season, our Christian was strong and our football was good,” head coach Bonner Cunnings said. “But we must improve in both. We intend to increase our influence in this valley ? both in our Godly lifestyles and by being a dominant force on the football field.”

MARTENS SCORES 3 TDS, EAGLES DOWN OROSI–Nov. 13
Senior Landon Martens opened the scoring on a 56-yard rumble in the first quarter and the Eagles rolled to a 35-8 road win over the Orosi Cardinals, Nov. 13. Martens rushed 18 times for a game-high 249 yards as FC’s season rebounded to 5-5 after injuries cancelled the 2008 season.

With the win, the Eagles qualified for the playoff for the first time in six years, and will travel to Lindsay next Friday. FC is ranked No. 11 while Lindsay is seeded No. 6 in the Central Section’s Division V.

The second quarter opened much like the first when Martens scampered for 41 yards for a TD. Senior wide receiver Tim Miller also scored in the quarter on a 8-yard pass from senior QB Riley Endicott.

As FC’s No. 1 option running the ball, Martens finished out the regular season with 1,188 yards on 187 carries for the Eagles.

“It feels pretty good ending up with over 1,000 yards on the season,” Martens said. “I didn’t think it would be possible. My lineman started to really work hard and we made a few adjustments on the line that really helped. All our hard work ended up with good success.”

Senior Gerald Bell kicked three PATs and Martens caught a 2-point conversion after Miller’s first TD, helping FC to a commanding 21-0 lead at the half.

While neither team could move the ball with precision in the third, the visitors put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter when Miller caught his second TD of the game on 23-yard pass from Endicott. After the Cardinals went three and out, Martens scored his third TD on a 61-yard run.

Orosi’s Adrian Garcia scored on a 14-yard run late in the game to prevent the shutout, but it was the Eagle defense which stole the spotlight with 5 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries and 1 interception.

“Each player played like it was their last down and gave it their best each play,” defensive coordinator Ervin “Magic” Hernandez said. “A coach could not ask for more. Besides the big milestones that were achieved, senior (cornerback) Aaron Hedrick had 5 pass deflections and was in on 8 tackles, which shows his ability to stay covered on his man and prevent big plays.”

Junior Danny Ibarra assisted on 12 tackles while his older brother (senior) Julio had 6 and earned a sack. Senior Daniel Hopper assisted on 4 tackles, also had a sack and fumble recovery as the Eagles clogged up the middle of the field.

Senior linebacker Tyler Revis was active in the middle as he recovered a fumble, was involved in 10 tackles and had a QB sack.

“Our philosophy on defense is smash mouth and we trust in our defensive backs to play one-on-one with their receivers,” Revis said. “We showed that tonight.”

Rounding out the best defensive season of his high school career, Julio hit the double digits in sacks this season with 10 total.

“Julio’s ten sacks reflect his tenacious pursuit of the QB,” Hernandez said. “It was also good work by the rest of the front line at applying pressure which allowed him to get free.

Besides Julio’s 10 sacks and Martens’ 1,000 rushing yards, senior Tyler Revis hit the century mark in tackles with 102 in the season.

“Tyler’s 102 tackles on the year not only shows his awareness to be where the ball is at all times, but the rest of the defense does a great job of fulfilling their responsibilities so Tyler can run free to the ball carrier,” Hernandez said. “These are amazing milestones for these blessed three players, but it really says a lot about the whole team.”

Endicott rounded out his senior regular season completing 6 of 10 passes against the Cardinals for 80 yards. Miller had 4 catches for 56 yards, while junior Andrew Evans rushed 6 times for 19 yards, earned a sack and was in on 5 tackles while playing less than a week after suffering a concussion.

FC will next open the CIF Central Section Division V playoffs at Lindsay, Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m.

FC CHALLENGES BLUE-RAIDERS IN LEAGUE FINALE–Nov. 6
Despite failing to suit up as many players as Caruthers, the Eagles found a way to compete and even take the first half lead, during their 48-21 loss, Nov. 6.

The Eagles first touchdown came on a pass from senior quarterback Riley Endicott to sophomore wide-receiver Jeff Roseth. In only his second game on the varsity squad Roseth finished the game with 5 receptions for a total of 110 yards.

“We took the best team in our league and put them against the wall in the first half,” head coach Bonner Cunnings said. “We came out and smashed them in the mouth and they were afraid. They were like ‘you guys are legit.'”

FC broke a 7-7 tie in the second quarter via touchdown passes by Endicott to Roseth and senior Tim Miller. The Eagles used the scoring barrage to take a 21-14 halftime lead over the West Sequoia League No. 1 Blue Raiders.

However, Caruthers stifled FC on defense in the second half. Three straight Blue Raider interceptions in the third quarter led to TDs as the home team seized control of the contest.

“The first quarter, we put it to them,” junior Danny Ibarra said. “We almost played a perfect first half. In the second half, mistakes started to happen and our fire and passion slowly died out. If we could have maintained what we had going we definitely would have won.”

Though the Eagles came up short, Cunnings relished the opportunity to coach against former mentor and longtime friend Tom Casanova.

“It was a special night for me because I was able to coach against a gentleman who coached me when I was a senior at Yosemite,” Cunnings said. “I I was very honored to be there and go against him.”

FC will next play at Orosi, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.

PANTHERS LATE TOUCHDOWN SEALED THE DEAL–Oct. 30
Undaunted by a rowdy FC crowd, Parlier scored three touchdowns in the second quarter and never looked back in route to a 32-26 win over the Eagles on Senior Night, Oct. 30.

Senior Landon Martens opened the night’s scoring with an interception which he returned 14 yards for a TD to give FC a 6-0 lead. Later in the quarter, Parlier answered with a score of their own and the 2-point conversion to take an 8-6 lead.

Though stifled in the first quarter, the Panthers running game exploded in the second, helping the visiting team to a 25-6 halftime advantage. Senior quarterback Joey Arredondo connected on a 26-yard pass to senior Gustavo Hernandez for a TD and also handed off to senior Rene Hernandez for a 43-yard TD in the quarter.

But it was the Eagles who struck first in the third quarter. After catching multiple passes during a drive, senior receiver Tim Miller capped it off with a 24-yard reception from senior quarterback Riley Endicott that brought the score to 25-13.

Later, with time running out in the third, Miller caught a jump ball, immediately avoided a tackle and scampered 66 yards for his second TD of the game, making the score 25-19. FC headed into the fourth quarter with hopes of completing a Senior Night comeback story, but the Panthers had other ideas.

With just over five minutes remaining in the game, Gustavo Hernandez scored the eventual winning TD with a 5-yard run that gave his team a 32-19 lead. The Eagles proved to have one more TD left in them, but it was not enough to overtake the Panthers.

“The defense gave up some big plays,” defensive coordinator Ervin Hernandez said. “especially during that long drive in the fourth quarter that put them up by two touchdowns. We have to get back to practice with more enthusiasm and discipline this week.”

For the second straight week, Martens (who averages 118.3 yards per game) was held to less than 50 on the ground, while the Eagles picked up only 38 rushing yards total for the game. Endicott threw for a season-high 200 yards, while completing 16 of 22 passes.

Miller led both teams with 7 receptions for 149 yards, to go along with his two TDs. Also coming with some big plays for the Eagles was recently-called-up sophomore receiver Jeff Roseth who caught 5 passes for 30 yards.

“I was happy to be able to make the transition to varsity,” Roseth said. “It was pretty awesome; I was glad to get a chance to play with all the big boys. My heart was going a million miles an hour and I wasn’t even on the field yet because, I mean, it’s varsity. I was really nervous and wanted to do well.”

With the victory, Parlier improved to 4-4 overall and tied FC for third in the West Sequoia league standings at 1-2 overall. Both teams trail the undefeated Fowler Redcats (2-0) and Caruthers Blue Raiders (2-0).

Win or lose, the Eagles continue to display sportsmanship and the love of Jesus to other teams according to senior offensive/defensive lineman Julio Ibarra. The players on the team believe they are there not just to play football but also possess a different calling.

“We are meant to evangelize, to preach, and to spread the name of God,” Ibarra said. “That’s the main reason why we have the word ‘Christian’ on the back of our jerseys ? thats who we represent. It’s a necessary thing for us to talk about God to the other people we play. We compete hard during the plays and then afterwards explain to them why we play the way we do.”

FC will play at Caruthers, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m.

REDCATS SHUTOUT FC–Oct. 23
Behind a rowdy home crowd, the defending West Sequoia League champion Fowler Redcats jumped ahead early in the game and went on to beat FC, 29-0, Oct. 23.

“Everyone knows Fowler are the guys and team they want to beat,” senior middle linebacker Tyler Revis said. “I have looked forward to this game since last year, but God is in control and I know he is going to protect me.”

Physically the two teams were near equal, however the Redcats executed sharper on both offense and defense.

“Unlike any other school, Fowler has a conditioning program that rivals ours,” senior lineman Nathaniel Nyberg said. “The other schools we play don’t have one. So we were pretty evenly matched up there.”

The Redcat’s defense became the first this season to hold the Eagles scoreless as a team. Fowler also joined Strathmore as the only two teams that have prevented FC’s leading scorer and senior running-back Landon Martens from putting points on the board.

Following a rocky first half, the Eagles found themselves trailing at the half for just the third time in seven games, 15-0. Defensive coordinator Ervin Hernandez summed up his defense’s performance.

“The defense played well throughout the game,” Hernandez said. “They gave up a couple big plays which led to touchdowns in the first half. However, we gathered ourselves and made some turnovers in the third quarter.”

Senior captain and defensive tackle Julio Ibarra made 8 tackles to lead FC, while providing key leadership following an injury to Revis. Revis dislocated his shoulder in the third quarter, confining him to the sidelines.

“I want to give some praise for Julio’s play,” Hernandez said. “He is just a beast at defensive line, and I really feel he is making himself known around the valley for his aggressive style of play.”

Defensively, senior Tim Miller caught two interceptions while playing safety to stop potentially threatening Fowler drives.

“I could have played a little more physical defense coming up on the run” Miller said. “I was able to make the interceptions because of our new defense. We mixed up the way our safety’s drop and it got me in better position.”

While Martens is averaging 6.23 yards per carry this season, Fowler held him to 1.7 yards per run. Revis attributed the team’s failure to generate significant offense to the offensive line’s lack of blocking.

“The loss should be blamed on the offensive line because we did not block well for Landon,” Revis said. “As a senior captain and the center, I take full responsibility for the miscommunications between the linemen.

The Eagles will next take on Parlier in their last home game, Oct. 30.

EAGLES CAP OFF MEMORABLE HOMECOMING NIGHT WITH 19-15 VICTORY
On a homecoming day filled with festivities and traditions, the Eagles finished it off with a come-from-behind 19-15 win over Riverdale, Oct. 16.

Newly crowned homecoming king Landon Martens rushed 33 times for 176 yards and a touchdown to give FC a chance for victory.

“The king dance earlier today was probably one of the most fun things I’ve ever done in my life,” Martens said. “I don’t usually dance like that, and to be up there with my friends was awesome. And on top of that, to come here and win a football game was just what we needed for our school.”

FC did not come out as sharp as Riverdale, quickly falling behind 15-0 in by the half. The Cowboys shut out the Eagles in the first half. According to defensive coordinator Ervin Hernandez, the team got caught up in the excitement of homecoming day and did not play to their full potential during the first half.

“We had a talk at half, when we were down, about giving this game to God and giving glory to Him,” junior linebacker Justin Wilson said. “After that we came out of the gates and won 19-15. If we keep playing like this, the valley needs to watch out for Fresno Christian.”

However, a different Eagles team emerged from the locker room, and they battled back to outscore the Cowboys, 19-0, in the 2nd half.

“We got caught up in the hoopla of homecoming early,” Hernandez said. “In the second half, we started playing for God instead of ourselves, and the score started to reflect that. We played out of our right minds and for God instead of for people.”

The FC defense stifled the Cowboys in the second half, giving the Eagles’ offense some breathing room.

Senior Julio Ibarra played a key role in the second half shutout, sacking the Cowboy QB 4 times and recovered a fumble. Also, juniors Alex Campama and Andrew Evans made key interceptions to set up scoring opportunities for FC, while seniors Tyler Revis and Daniel Hopper each recovered a fumble.

On the offensive end, Martens went to work early in the fourth, scoring via a 40-yard run to bring his team within 2 points of the lead at 15-13. Just minutes later, senior Gerald Bell followed with a 40-yard TD run of his own, off a timely trick play called by offensive coordinator Robert Foshee, giving the Eagles the lead for good.

“We were down at the half, but we realized what we had to do to win” Martens said. “In the second half, our linemen started working, holes started to open up and big plays started happening.”

Senior quarterback Riley Endicott finished the game 4-12 for 54 yards, while running for 17 more including a 10-yard TD. Bell finished the game with 2 carries for 34 yards, and Evans rushed 3 times for 26 yards. Revis attributed the victory to the glory of God being magnified through those who serve Him.

“This game was a testimony to who God is and what happens when you play for Him,” Revis said. “When you praise and worship Him, when you love the guy next to you, love the other team, and you play in that state of love and joy, thats the outcome that you get every single time. This is true in all aspects of life, not just football.”

FC will next play at Fowler, Oct. 23.

TIGERS COME FROM BEHIND, SHOCK FC 32-29–Oct. 9
Despite leading Tranquillity for almost 3 quarters, the Eagles fell 32-29, Oct. 9.

FC led Tranquillity until 30.3 seconds remained in the fourth quarter. However following a well-executed screen pass, Tigers senior Alonzo Gamboa scored untouched, giving his team the lead and the eventual win.

On the ensuing 2-point conversion, senior quarterback Omar Flores ran the ball into the end-zone to give Tranquillity a 3-point advantage.

Because of an early injury to junior Dean Potigian, senior Julio Ibarra stepped in to play both offense and defense, a move he said pushed his stamina to the limit.

“I was more fatigued than usual,” Ibarra said. “I wasn’t doing as good in the earlier parts of the game, but towards the end, I started picking it up and trying to go harder. On that last play, we blitzed and they were prepared for it. We didn’t handle that last opportunity to shut them down well.”

Though he did not score until the third quarter, senior running back Landon Martens once again led FC with 2 touchdowns. He rushed 21 times for 129 yards, raising his season total to 837 yards on the season.

Tranquillity was first to jump on the scoreboard. After intercepting a pass, the Tigers scored a TD to take a 7-0 lead with 4:54 remaining in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter on 3rd and long, senior Riley Endicott attempted a 30-yard pass to classmate Tim Miller who, after juggling the ball, was unable to make the catch, forcing the Eagles to punt away. Unable to handle the high punt by junior Andrew Evans, the Tigers fumbled and the ball was secured by Ibarra.

Only two plays later, Endicott scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper to give FC a 10-7 lead with 8:47 until the half. Following an Eagles defensive stop, Endicott connected with Miller for a TD which gave the home team a 16-7 advantage and all the momentum going into the second half.

Finally with 8:31 to play in the third quarter, Martens broke free for his first TD of the night, and gave the Eagles their largest lead at 23-10. However, exactly two minutes later, the Tigers answered with a TD run of their own to get within a TD of the lead at 23-17.

After the teams traded TDs, Tranquillity opened their eventually winning drive with less than three minutes remaining in the game.

“Even though we came up short, we came together as a team,” Ibarra said. “This was sort of like a playoff game, and we were all cheering and fired up. Everybody executed their jobs well for the most part. I guess they just prepared better for the game than us, but we know what mistakes need to be corrected for the next game.”

FC will next host Riverdale during homecoming, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.

FC SMASHES KINGS CHRISTIAN–Oct. 2
The Eagles used an efficient offense to beat Kings Christian, 40-6, Oct. 2.

“Our team did a great job of maintaining our composure,” junior Andrew Evans said. “We played as a team and all of us played for our brothers. It was just a selfless game.”

Led by seniors Aaron Hedrick and Gerald Bell, the Eagle defense limited the Crusaders to only a single touchdown, and had 5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recovery, and a blocked punt in route to FC’s 2nd consecutive win.

“Gerald exemplifies what discipline and desire can do for an athlete,” head coach Bonner Cunnings said. “He has improved his fundamentals to the point that he is one of our best in the secondary [defense].”

Bell credited the improved Eagle secondary with shutting down the Crusader offense.

“I just think the secondary did really well,” Bell said. “We practiced hard this past week and now we have this little click going. When one person was out of position, another guy would cover for him. It really wasn’t any one individual; everyone just did their part and we had a good game.”

Defensive coordinator Ervin Hernandez credited the Eagles’ devotion to practice the last week for the better defensive intensity.

“After last week’s sloppy win against Laton, we worked very meticulously on defense this past week,” Hernandez said. “We went back to the little details and had a very effective practice each day. As a result, the defense pretty much pitched a shutout, only allowing one touchdown.”

When FC was on offense, Kings Christian offered no answer to the power running of senior Landon Martens, who scored 4 TDs for the game ? tying his season high. The running back finished the game with 192 yards on 23 carries.

The Eagles scored twice in the first quarter to open up a 12-0 lead, and held on for a 19-0 advantage at the half. Two 3rd quarter TD runs from Martens pushed the score to 33-0 and the game out of reach for Kings Christian.

“Landon has proven himself to be our number one skill player,” Cunnings said. “Due to his athleticism and toughness he has brought a threat to our offense: defenses must be prepared for his ability to score on any given play.

Senior wide receiver Tim Miller had 4 receptions for a total of 82 yards and a first quarter TD, and Evans carried the ball 6 times for 43 yards and scored FC’s 6th and final TD on a 10-yard run in the 4th. Senior quarterback Riley Endicott completed 6 of 13 pass attempts for 88 yards, while handing off the Eagle backs most of the game.

“Landon was on fired the whole night,” Evans said, “but (offensive coordinator) coach (Robert) Foshee let me have the last drive. The offensive line blocked awesomely for me and I was able to score.”

With the win, FC improved to 3-1 overall, and gained momentum going into their league opener next week.

“I am very happy that we pursued to the ball and provided lost of pressure on their quarterback,” Hernandez said. “We are very blessed to have a bunch of wild kids who play for God and one another. We will now raise the bar and prepare for Tranquillity this week.”

Cunnings attributed the success to the team’s united attitude.

“We are very pleased as a football team to have grown into the united family that we are,” he said. “This week our motto was ‘one mind, one body, one spirit.’ I believe we are learning what that truly looks like each week.”

FC will next host Tranquillity on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.

FC INTENSITY TOO MUCH FOR LATON–Sept. 25
The Eagles jumped 21-0 in the first quarter of the game and held on for a 41-32 victory over Laton, Sept. 25.

“Overall we got away with a win,” defensive coordinator Ervin Hernandez said. “There are a lot of little things to work with that we overlooked, but those little things make big results happen. We need to work on wrapping up, breaking down and making tackles.”

After the teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter, the Eagles took a 28-6 lead into the locker room.

First-year senior wide receiver Tim Miller, who caught FC’s opening TD caught seven passes for a total of 126 yards and two touchdowns. Miller’s 2nd TD, a 21 pass from Endicott, pushed FC’s lead to 35-20 ? a lead they would need coming down the stretch, with Laton scoring 2 4th quarter touchdowns.

“I should have caught more balls then I did, but I did have 2 touchdowns,” Miller said. “The first one I bobbled a little bit in the back of the end zone, and the second one I barely got my feet in bounds but still scored.”

Head coach Bonner Cunnings said an increased level of intensity benefitted his team vs. the Mustangs.

“We realized that our level of intensity and toughness must increase in order to be the champions we know that we are,” Cunnings said. “The Strathmore game was truly a gut check. The biggest lesson we learned in our loss to them was our need for unity. We have refocused our attentions on being one mind, one body and one spirit.”

Senior quarterback Riley Endicott completed 12 of 26 passes for 171 yards and threw for three TDs while rushing seven times for 25 yards and scoring twice himself. Senior Landon Martens rushed 14 times for 154 yards, including an 11-yard run in the second quarter for a touchdown.

Though satisfied with the overall effort, Miller said the Eagles’ defense has room for improvement.

“I’m glad we have a record of 2-1 now,” Miller said. “but we should have held them to a lower score. This week we’re gonna practice our defense and are looking forward to Kings Christian.”

The “little details” that cause havic for FC will be addressed this week at practice, Hernandez said.

“The only thing that matters is the scoreboard at the end of the night, although we will be working extra hard this week in practice to correct all the little details,” Hernandez said. “Having said that, we now have a winning record and are looking forward to playing Kings Christian next week.”

FC will next play at Kings Christian, Oct. 2, 7 p.m.

SPARTANS BACK SCORES 5 TDS IN STRATHMORE WIN–Sept. 18
Senior running back Jesse Soria scored four touchdowns in the the first half, leading Strathmore to a 54-19 win over Fresno Christian, Sept. 18. Soria added a 70-yard TD run in the third quarter to round out the Spartans scoring.

“We struggled as a team against Strathmore,” center senior Tyler Revis said. “We were not organized or focused and from the beginning I felt we were outplayed. It was a necessary experience; it taught us a lot and this last week of practice has been our most intense.”

Senior Eric Johnson took a year off from football, but decided to return his for his senior season at the urging of his friends on the team.

“After taking a year off from playing football, it was tough to break my lazy habits,” senior Eric Johnson said. “My first game I got to play in was against Strathmore. When I first saw them, I’m not gonna lie, I got a little nervous. They looked like some big corn-feed boys who took working out seriously.”

In their second home game of the season, Strathmore was again led by Soria’s 204 yards rushing on 12 carries. Soria also had three TDs last week in the Spartans win against Farmersville.

The running back had TD runs of 53, 4 and 34 yards and caught a 49-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Geostan Duffin. Duffin finished the game 11 for 15 on completions, throwing for 213 yards.

“We are privileged to be on the field with aggressive football programs such as Strathmore,” head coach Bonner Cunnings said. “Coach (Jeromy) Blackwell has done an excellent job in training his teams to be physical and play ‘smash mouth football. This is the reason why we intend on scheduling more games wiht tough teams that play their style of football.”

The Eagles attack was led by senior Tim Miller who caught a 41-yard touchdown from senior quarterback Riley Endicott in the first quarter. Miller also caught a 9-yard pass from Endicott and scored in the second quarter. The wideout finished the game with 3 catches for 95 yards. Miller was named FC’s offensive star of the game by the coaching staff.

The Eagles’ final TD came in the third quarter when junior Andrew Evans broke free for a 66-yard run and scampered into the end zone. Evans had 5 carries for 83 yards, while Endicott finished the game 7 for 17 (144 yards) with two TD passes and 3 interceptions.

“The part about Friday that gave us a measure of victory was the Lord’s presense after the game,” Revis said. The night before we each had one or two guys on the Strathmore team to pray for specifically. We were able to talk to thoe guys and Riley, one of our captains, spoke and prayed in front of both teams. It was an experience that demonstrated how God comes first. It was a great reminder there is more to life than Friday night football.”

EAGLES BLOWOUT KNIGHTS FOR FIRST VICTORY–Sept. 11
Playing in their ’09 season opener, FC shocked Stone Ridge Christian with a 56-0 victory, Sept. 11.

The Eagles competed against the team coached by former defensive coordinator Mick Fuller.

“It was rewarding for the young men to play against coach (Mick) Fuller,” head coach Bonner Cunnings said. “Coach Fuller preached to never quit and to alway lay everything down the line, and I think all the kids did that. Although 56-0 was a bit more than we had expected.”

Senior Landon Martens led the way scoring 4 touchdowns on the night, rushing five times for 100 yards. He was named FC offensive star of the game. Martens scores consisted of a 20-yard pass from senior Riley Endicott in the first quarter, 40 and 20-yard runs in the third, and a 35-yard run in the fourth. Junior Andrew Evans also ran the ball well for the Eagles, rushing 9 times for 64 yards.

“We all played real well tonight,” Martens said. “Riley was throwing good, making plays and good handoffs. Our line also made several holes for our backs. It was just a nice night for everyone.”

In his first game as a varsity kicker, senior Gerald Bell was a perfect 8 for 8 on extra points, and Endicott completed 14 of 21 passes for 206 yards while leading the offense down the field.

The FC receivers had their way with the Stone Ridge corners, as Endicott fired strikes at his targets. Senior Tim Miller caught four passes for a total of 49 yards and a TD, and junior Alex Campama and sophomore Seth Ramirez caught 14 and 12-yard TDs.

“As a coaching staff, there is always room to improve,” Cunnings said. “Although scoring points and playing great defense is all a coach can ask for. Our expectations were met, but we can always get better.”

The coaching staff named senior Nathaniel Nyberg the defensive player of the game and senior Gerald Bell the special teams player of the game.

“I believe the kids are starting to see all their hard work and effort they put in the summer after Friday night’s game,” Cunnings said.

FC DEFEATS MENDOTA IN OPENING SCRIMMAGE–Aug. 28
Following a summer of football practices and conditioning, the Eagles came out hungry against Mendota, Aug. 28.

“They were eager to test their abilities against a top ranked team such as Mendota,” head coach Bonner Cunnings said. “I have to say that they did outstanding. The unity of this team was made evident.”

According to Cunnings the team has greatly increased their level of play this season.

“Our intensity of play has increased to a level that has already been notice by many teams in the valley this year,” Cunnings said. “You can tell by the energy on the sidelines and in the stands that we have a true football community, and that great things are happening this year.”

The Eagles Return from Tyler Duerr on Vimeo.