Falcon Football Heading To State

The Faribault Falcons scored with 1:27 to go in the game on an incredible catch by Junior Receiver Winfield Hunter and after Quarterback Danny Ehlers hit Senior Receiver Nash Bauer for the two point conversion Faribault led the Rochester Mayo Spartans 14-7 and it looked like they had punched their ticket to the big dance.  Faribault smacked a short, bouncing kick on the kickoff giving the Spartans the ball on the 44 yard line.  Senior Quarterback Jay Alston couldn't go after suffering a leg injury and 6'6 140 pound Junior Mitchell McCarty came in and on the very first play used one of Mayo's two remaining time outs when he appeared confused. After a couple of incomplete passes and a near Nash Bauer pick on a 4th and 10 the Quarterback connected for a first down at the Falcon 28 and on the very next play threw another strike to about the 15 and the receiver got into the end zone with :42 to go in the game.  After Faribault was backed inside their 5 following the kickoff the Falcons simply ran a couple of plays and took a knee to send the game to overtime.  Faribault won the toss and elected to go on defense.  Each team gets four shots from the 10 to score. On the first play of overtime McCarty was going to throw a possible t.d. pass, but Joe Miller did a very smart thing, he interfered with the receiver and instead of giving up a touchdown it was half the distance and first and goal at the 5.  Two plays later the quarterback fumbled and Faribault took over.  After Danny Ehlers carried the ball to the three Touchdown Joe Hoisington scored from 3 yards out sending the Falcons to the State Tournament with a 20-14 win over Mayo.  Hoisington was limping all night on a bum ankle and had to be spelled some by Sophmore Felipe Ramirez.  The 210 pounder rammed in the first touchdown for Faribault from two yards out with 5:57 to go in the first half and the extra point kick was no good.  The score at the half was 7-6 Mayo.  The Spartans first half score came with 11:25 to go in the second quarter.  Jay Alston hit Co-Captain Michael Michalek, the Big Nine Conference leading receiver during the regular season, with a 15 yard scoring strike.  Kicker Kyle Cary gave the Spartans a 7-0 lead at the time.  The Faribault scoring drive in the first half was a 17 play 85 yard drive.  Faribault had the ball to start the second half and methodically moved down the field after starting on their own 23, but couldn't punch it in.  Mayo ran just six plays in the third quarter.  Faribault plays Saturday night at 6 at Lakeville North High School against the Section Four Champion Spring Lake Park Panthers.  The Panthers beat Mahtomedi 23-11 in their title tilt.  Spring Lake Park is 7-3 on the season and Faribault is 8-2.