Florence Falcons make history – win 3rd straight state title!

by Scott Sacry

The Florence Falcons are the 2023 Class B State Champions. Florence traveled to Manhattan on Saturday, November 18th and defeated the Tigers 21-14 in overtime on a beautiful November day in the Gallatin Valley. The game went to overtime and came down to the very last play of the game. Florence defensive lineman and senior Ben Kivela stripped the ball from a Manhattan runner and Florence recovered the fumble in a scrum near the endzone, ending the game and vaulting Florence into the history books as the players rushed the field in celebration. 

“It’s hard to put into words how we felt in that moment,” said Florence head coach Pat Duchien. “I’m just so proud of our players and our coaches. Hats off to Manhattan, they are a very good team and played extremely well. But up until the last, our kids believed that they would get it done. And they did.”

The Falcons have now won three straight football State Class B Championships, which is the first time this has happened in Montana history for a Class B school. The Falcons were undefeated this season, going 13-0.

“To be able to do what no other team has done is amazing,” said Duchien. “Our seniors deserve so much credit, they led the charge in every aspect of the game.”

The championship game played out differently than most of Florence’s games this season. Throughout the year, even against the best teams, Florence won comfortably. But in this game the winner was decided on the last play of the game. 

“We knew it was going to be hard, we knew there was going to be adversity,” said Duchien. “It was a violent, physical game, and I’m so proud that our kids were able to have a controlled mindset throughout the game, to keep their composure when things got heated. I get emotional thinking how well the kids handled themselves. It just reinforced to us coaches what a bunch of good kids we had this year.”

The game was tied 14-14 after regulation and went to overtime. In Montana, overtime is settled with each team getting one possession, so four downs from the 10 yard line. If the game is still tied after both teams have a possession, they go to a second overtime, and so on, until someone wins.

Florence had the ball first in overtime, and on a 3rd and goal from the 1/2 yard line, Florence’s Ethan Alexander stretched the ball over the goal line to give Florence the first overtime TD, and Florence kicker Cole Fowler made the PAT to give Florence a 21-14 lead.

Manhattan was able run the ball effectively all game long; this continued in overtime as they got the ball to the 2-yard line. Then on a 3rd and goal they looked ready to score. This is where Florence’s Kivela forced the fumble that won the game. 

Manhattan’s game plan was to control the ball to keep Florence’s explosive offense off the field. This was evident in the second quarter where Florence only had the ball for two of the twelve minutes in that quarter. And in the first half Florence had only four total possessions. Compare this to last week’s game against Red Lodge where Florence had eight first-half possessions. 

But still the Falcons fought through and found a way to win, a true testament to the resiliency of the team. Trailing in the second half, they were able to put together a game-tying scoring drive, then they were able to stop Manhattan from scoring again, ultimately forcing overtime. Then in overtime, they took care of business and won the game. 

“We talked a lot about legacies and greatness with the players,” said Duchien. “How greatness does not come easy in football and in life. In this game they faced that adversity and fought and scratched and clawed their way to a victory. This resiliency will be this team’s legacy.”

How the game unfolded

The first quarter was back and forth as the teams traded punts. Two good punts by Trapper Oster helped Florence pin Manhattan deep in their own territory. On Manhattan’s second possession, Florence’s Drew Wagner stepped in front of a Manhattan pass, picked off the ball, and ran 21 yards for the game’s first TD, and Florence led 7-0. 

Manhattan got the ball back with 35 seconds left in the 1st quarter and methodically drove down the field, taking eight minutes of game time. With 4:20 left in the first half they scored on a 4th down pass. The 2-point conversion was no good and Florence led 7-6.

Florence then went three and out and had to punt. Manhattan got good field position and, with under two minutes left in the half, Manhattan’s receiver caught a 50/50 ball in the end zone giving the Tigers another score. Their two-point conversion was good and Manhattan led 14-7.  Florence had one more possession in the half but failed to advance the ball and had to punt. Going into halftime, the Falcons found themselves in an unfamiliar position, trailing 7-14.

“We got punched in the face in that first half,” said Duchien. “But when I went into the locker room at halftime I saw a look of determination on their faces, they were not shellshocked, there was no complaining, no whining, they knew what they had to do and they went out there and did it.”

The Tigers got the ball first after halftime and were able to move the ball, but Florence’s defense stopped them on a 4th and three from their 32-yard line and Florence got the ball back.

Florence then put together their best drive of the day, going 68 yards in under 4 minutes to get the equalizing score. The drive was a good mix of run and pass with solid play by the offensive line and big plays by QB Mason Arlington, Bridger and Ethan Alexander and Tyler Abbott. Arlington capped off the drive with a 1-yard quarterback keeper. The score was now tied 14-14.

On Manhattan’s next drive, Florence’s Trapper Oster picked off a pass to give Florence the ball back. Florence stalled on this next drive and failed to convert on a 4th down, giving Manhattan the ball back. Manhattan had the ball on their own 31-yard line with 11 minutes left in the game. 

The Tigers were aggressive in their play calling. Backed up in their own territory, the Tigers faked a punt on 4th down to keep the drive alive. They made it all the way down to the Florence 22-yard line where Florence’s Bridger Alexander had a huge sack, setting up a 4 and 20 which Manhattan failed to convert. Although this drive by the Tigers wouldn’t end in any points, it used a lot of time off the clock, keeping Florence’s offense off the field. 

Florence took over on downs with 3:32 minutes left in the game. And after making a big third down conversion at Manhattan’s 39-yard line, Florence fumbled the ball and the Tigers took over with 1:41 left in regulation. They were able to move the ball, and with 27 seconds left, Trapper Oster again intercepted a Manhattan pass to give Florence the ball. With 21 seconds left, they were deep in their own territory and weren’t able to move the ball.

Then came overtime.

In Montana each team gets four downs from the 10-yard line. If tied after this, they do it all over again. Florence got the ball first and moved the ball to the 1-yard line where Ethan Alexander reached just over the line to give Florence the first score of overtime. Cole Fowler booted through the important PAT to give Florence the 21-14 lead.

Manhattan then moved the ball to the 2-yard line and looked poised to score on a 3 and 2. It’s rare when the most decisive play of the game is the last play of the game, but on this day it was. On this play, Florence’s Ben Kivela stripped the ball from the Manhattan runner as he was about to score and Florence recovered the fumble, ending the game and beginning the jubilation.