Falcons roll past ODA into semifinals

As the Out-of-Door Academy offense jogged out to start a first quarter the team was looking to own, the squad hit a green wall it couldn’t climb.

The Thunder gained just three yards on their first drive of a rematch with Saint Stephen’s before hitting a physical defense that left no room for big plays. That carried into all four quarters as the Falcons (8-0) kept ODA (6-2) scoreless in a 42-0 contest at Turner Field on Friday night.

Thanks to a heavy run game from an experienced offensive attack, Saint Stephen’s scored five touchdowns in the first half against an ODA defense led by Ryan Ives and Tucker Harris that held a Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic team to six points in the first round of the SSAC playoffs last week.

Quarterback Fred Billy, who needed just 31 yards rushing to surpass 1,000 on the season, tabbed 221 on the ground and three trips to the house. By halftime, senior running back Chase Brown had three touchdowns and 164 yards.

“We knew tonight was going to be a great test against a team that has gotten better every week,” Falcons head coach Tod Creneti said, as the Thunder tallied an average of 40 points per game since losing 61-7 to Saint Stephen’s in September. “The run game was there – you have to take what was there and make sure you execute it well from what the defense is giving you.”

After a Falcons fumble on the first punt return, Billy got the ball rolling for Saint Stephen’s with a 74-yard run to the house on their second play of the quarter. Brown answered on the next drive, breaking away from blue jerseys for a 77-yard touchdown. Billy went on to score another touchdown in the first quarter from 47 yards out, setting the tone for the half.

“I have to give all the credit to the O-line — they work their tails off every single day to make it that much easier for me and Chase to get loose like that,” said Billy, who has garnered interest from D-I college programs. “This is win-or-go-home and a different type of intensity than when we play ODA in a rivalry game.”

Linebacker Ryan Thompson of Saint Stephen’s was injured in the first half on a Falcons punt return, with cornerback Demetrius Davis being ejected from the game in a scuffle during the first quarter. In the second half, Billy was the lone scorer for Saint Stephen’s with a 52-yard touchdown.

The Falcons go on to play Jupiter Christian High School on Nov. 11 in the semifinals of the SSAC playoffs.

This story was originally published November 3, 2017 at 11:11 PM with the headline "Falcons roll past ODA into semifinals."