The FC Varsity football team played Bethlehem Academy on Friday, September 15, at Bruce Smith Field in Faribault. The coin flip was determined heads, meaning that Fillmore Central won the flip and would be kicking, with Bethlehem Academy receiving the ball. #68 Henry Liew kicked off the ball to start the first quarter. At the end of the first quarter, neither team had scored.
During the second quarter with about five minutes left on the clock, #10 Chase Christianson handed the ball off to #7 Jacob Mandelko who ran the ball into the end zone making the first TOUCHDOWN of the game. Mandelko’s 13 yard run put FC up 6 – 0. #55 Atlee Hershberger kicked the ball through the goal posts for the extra point, thus giving FC a 7 – 0 lead. Bethlehem Academy then scored a touchdown and went for the two point conversion, which they got, making the score FC 7 – Bethlehem Academy 8. Bethlehem Academy scored another touchdown with 47 seconds left in the quarter. They attempted the extra point but didn’t get it. In the final 16 seconds of the second quarter, Christianson dropped back and threw a complete pass to #2 Jayce Kiehne, who carried the ball 10 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Hershberger kicked the ball for the extra point, and the extra point was good. The second quarter ended with the score FC 14 – Bethlehem Academy 14.
During third quarter, both teams went back and forth with the ball. The quarter ended with neither team scoring.
In the fourth quarter with 7:49 on the clock, Bethlehem Academy scored a touchdown. They went for the extra two point conversion but threw the ball for an incomplete pass. The score now was FC 14 – Bethlehem Academy 20. Then with 4:24 left on the clock, Christianson handed the ball to Mandelko who ran the ball 3 yards into to the end zone for a TOUCHDOWN. Liew attempted the extra point, but the kick was blocked. The clock ran out with the game tied, sending the game into overtime. During overtime, FC had the ball and Christianson handed it off to Mandelko, who ran it into the end zone for a TOUCHDOWN! The final score was 26 – 20 in favor of the Falcons. This victory brings their record to 3 – 0 so far this season.
