Costly turnovers may have been the difference as the Brownsville Falcons fell, 20-6, to the Southmoreland Scotties to snap Southmoreland's 18-game losing streak.  Brownsville's opening drive started at their own 45 and ended at the Scottie 31-yard line as the Falcons failed to convert on a 4th and 2.  Later in the first quarter, a Southmoreland touchdown was called back with 4:59 remaining on a holding call.  That drive ended when Southmoreland missed on a pass into the endzone on 4th and 14 from the Brownsville 22 yard line.  Starting quarterback for the Falcons, sophomore Brandon DeCarlo, went down with an apparent lower body injury in the first quarter.  He did not return.  Marty Smith took over under center for the Falcons.

The Scotties got on the board first with a 1 yard touchdown run by their quarterback.  The extra point was good and the Scotties led 7-0 with 9:32 remaining in the second quarter.  Brownsville's next drive ended in another turnover, a fumble at their own 33 yard line.  22 seconds later, the Scotties scored their second touchdown of the game on a 26-yard touchdown pass.  The Scottie extra point attempt was blocked by Brownsville senior defensive lineman Adam Carney.  The Scotties led 13-0 with 5:42 left in the half. 

The following Falcon drive started out from their own 14 yard line, where junior tailback Tre Hall busted through a hole up the middle for a 36-yard gain to the 50 yard line.  The Falcon drive stalled out a few plays later.  The Falcons caught a break though, as the Falcon punt was muffed at the Southmoreland 14 and was picked up by sophomore Brandon Furlong.  A couple plays later, Smith hit sophomore receiver Isaiah Spencer for a 13 yard touchdown with 1:24 to go.  Junior Teso Calloway's extra point was no good and the Falcons trimmed the Scottie lead to 7, 13-6.   Southmoreland's last ditch effort to score before the half was halted by senior defensive back Mark Johnson, who intercepted a pass at the Brownsville 1 with 17 seconds remaining.

With 4:43 remaining in the third quarter, Smith found Johnson on a 61 yard pass play that took the Falcons from their own 28 to the Southmoreland 11 yard line.  The Falcons were unable to capitalize on the big play with back-to-back penalties that sent them back to the opponents 32.  The Falcons turned the ball over on downs.

Junior cornerback Lamar Bell recovered a fumble at the Brownsville 43 with 10:51 remaining in the game.  The next play saw a botched toss by the Falcons that sent the ball right back to the Scotties at the Brownsville 10.  A few plays later, the Scotties scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 9:06 to go.  The extra point was good to put the Scotties ahead 20-6. 

The Falcons were still in the game after Johnson returned the subsequent kickoff to the Southmoreland 30.  A Southmoreland pass interference penalty later in the possession put the ball at the Southmoreland 10.  Another mishandled toss led to another Brownsville turnover with 7:10 left in the game.  Down two possessions, Brownsville got the ball back with four minutes left but were unable to get anything going.

The Falcons will play their home opener next week, when they take on the Charleroi Cougars at Redstone Field.  The Cougars were 20-13 losers at home tonight against the Mount Pleasant Vikings.

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Box Score:

                                          1st              2nd              3rd              4th              Final

Brownsville                         0                 6                  0                 0                  6

Southmoreland                  13                 0                  0                 7                20

BT MAILMAN