Falcons use ground game to oust Loyal in home opener
The Abbotsford Falcons started off their 2023 season with a notch in the win column, defeating Loyal at home in their first game of the year. Abby used a dominant run game and a few big stops on defense to defeat the Greyhounds 36-16.
The final stat sheet looked eerily familiar to the 2022 contest between the two clubs, which the Falcons won in a similar 33-8 final. Led by top rushers JV Castillo and Chrisitan Fuentes, Abbotsford’s offense churned out 379 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, the Greyhounds were held to just 156 yards of total offense.
After halting Loyal’s first drive by holding the visitors on fourth down, Abbotsford promptly pushed down the field. A 24-yard run by Fuentes helped to set up the Falcons first touchdown of the season. After the home team converted on a key fourth down deep in Loyal territory, Irvin Aguilera punched in the ball from a yard out to put Abbotsford up 6-0.
After trading empty possessions, Loyal would get themselves on the scoreboard next. The Greyhounds made the most of excellent starting field position, eventually coming away with what would be their offense’s only touchdown. A nineyard touchdown run bounced out to the left side by Tryn Scheel capped off the drive, briefly tying the game at 6-6. The following two-point conversion gave Loyal their only lead of the game.
While the opening minutes of the second quarter had gone in the Greyhounds favor, the rest of half belonged to the home team. Castillo broke away from the pack on touchdown runs of 65 and 58 yards on consecutive drives, showcasing both an ability to slip would-be tacklers and burn past opponents on the two plays. The touchdowns gave the Falcons a 22-8 advantage, but they were not done scoring yet.
On their final drive of the half, Castillo found Fuentes through the air twice, once on a deep ball to convert in a thirdand- 20 situation and second time on a short out route that Fuentes took to the endzone for a 25-yard touchdown. The score with just over 30 seconds left in the half put Abbotsford up 28-8 heading into halftime.
It was more of the same once play resumed, with Abbotsford’s offensive line opening up holes for Fuentes and Castillo to get big chunk runs on their first possession. Emilio Escalera finished off the drive with the Falcons’ fourth rushing touchdown of the evening on a fouryard run up the middle for a touchdown.
The Greyhounds next attempt to cut into the ever growing deficit nearly succeeded, as the visitors promptly drove down the field to put themselves in a goalto- go situation. However, the Abbotsford defense shut the door, coming up with a huge stop on fourth down to take possession at their own one-yard line.
While the Falcons managed to get past midfield on their following drive, a fumble turned what looked to be another promising drive into a touchdown in the opposite direction, with Loyal’s Hudson Hanson scooping up the loose ball and scoring on the play.
The turnover was the final scoring play of the game, with Abbotsford’s defense holding back the Greyhound’s efforts, allowing the Falcons’ offense to drain time off of the clock and culminating in their first victory of 2023.
The Falcons held Loyal to just 17 yards through the air in the victory, forcing six straight incompletions in the Greyhounds first six attempts. While the Falcons dominated both sides of the ball for most of the evening, penalties threatened to derail drives several times and while they were able to overcome them at times, it will certainly be something they will be looking to clean up in future contests.
Castillo rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries and Fuentes ended the day with 122 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Chase Boller finished with 72 yards on the ground, coming up with 32 on a big run in the first half and then providing a solid change of pace in the second half. Escalera had 34 yards, Aguilera had nine yards rushing, and Grayson Totzke had one run for eight yards.
Castillo was near perfect through the air, completing five of his seven attempts for 98 yards and a touchdown. Fuentes was the recipient of three of those passes, finishing with 66 yards and a touchdown. AJ Brodhagen came up with two catches for 32 yards.
The Falcons will be on the road this coming Friday, heading to Melrose-Mindoro to take on the Mustangs. Last season, Abbotsford defeated the Mustangs 41-0 at home. The game is to begin at 7 p.m.
