H-BC football team falls to RCC Falcons

The No. 2 seed Hills-Beaver Creek Patriots hosted the No. 3 seed Red Rock Central Falcons in the Section 3 9-Man Section semi-finals on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The game was an evenly matched contest with the Falcons pulling out the victory 14-6. Red Rock Central will meet Mountain Lake in the Section championship game Nov. 4.
Red Rock Central received the opening kickoff and drove to the H-BC 16-yard line where the Patriots’ defense held the Falcons on a fourth and five. The entire Patriots’ defense was involved in stopping the Falcons on the drive. Nine Patriots were credited with at least an assisted tackle on the 14-play drive by the Falcons. Sawyer Bosch and Luke Fuerstenberg led the charge for the Patriots in stopping the Falcons.
The Patriots’ offense was able to start a drive from their own 30-yard line with 5:45 left in the second quarter. The combination of Sawyer Bosch and Beau Bakken rushing led to a Bosch-to-Luke Fuerstenberg 17-yard touchdown pass to put the Patriots up 6-0 with 1:27 left before halftime.
Starting at their own 43-yard line, the Falcons looked to tie or even go ahead before the intermission. After a first down, the Red Rock Central quarterback connected with a Falcon on a sideline and go pattern for a 46-yard strike and touchdown. The Patriots defense broke up the 2-point conversion attempt to keep the 6-6 tie going into halftime.
In the third quarter both defenses controlled the game with no points scored during the stanza. The Patriots offense did penetrate to the Falcon 31-yard line but were not able to break into the red zone during the quarter.
The Falcons’ go-ahead touchdown drive and eventual game winner started with two minutes left in the third quarter. Red Rock Central went on an 11-play, 68-yard drive and scored with 8:37 left in the game. After a successful 2-point conversion, the Falcons were ahead 14-6.
After receiving the ensuing kickoff, the Patriots’ offense stalled and was forced to punt with 6:55 left in the game.
But the defense gave the Patriots one last chance to tie the game. Linebacker Brayden Metzger caused a Falcon fumble, and Riley Tatge pounced on the loose ball to give the Patriots possession at their own 27-yard line with 3:20 left in the game. The Patriots were able to drive into Falcon territory, but four passes fell incomplete, and the Patriots had to turn over the ball to Red Rock Central with only 1:14 left to play.
Red Rock Central managed to take 1:08 off the clock before punting the ball away to the Patriots. The ball was downed at the 29-yard line with only six seconds remaining. The last play of the game, a Patriots pass, fell incomplete and the Patriots’ season came to an end.
     The Patriots finished with a 7-3 win-loss record for the season and will lose six seniors from this year’s squad. Luke Feurstenberg, Alex Harris, Brock Harnack, Brayden Metzger, Cody Moser, and Cole Rozeboom saw their Hills-Beaver Creek Patriots football careers come to a close.
 
Team statistics:
H-BC: 91 rushing yards, 67 passing yards, 158 total yards, 13 first downs, two penalties for 10 yards, zero turnovers.
RRC: 198 rushing yards, 88 passing yards, 286 total yards, 12 first downs, eight penalties for 50 yards, one turnover.
 
Individual statistics:
Rushing: Beau Bakken 18-65, Jamin Metzger 4-15, Sawyer Bosch 10-nine, James VandenBosch 1-eight, Justin Roelfs 1- (minus six)
Passing: Jamin Metzger 6-17 for 40 yards, Sawyer Bosch 2-2 for 27 yards, one touchdown.
Receiving: Justin Roelfs-3-30, Luke Fuerstenberg 1-17, one touchdown, Riley Tatge 1- 13 yards, Sawyer Bosch 2-seven yards, James VandeBosch 1- zero yards.