St. Francis Logo

Indians Lose to Gorillas in Regional Playoff

Indians 26 - Gorillas 34

November 09, 2015

The St. Francis Indians suffered their first loss of the 2015 season in Solomon on Saturday, November 7. The Indians competed very well, but came up a bit short against a very good Solomon Gorillas team in the Regional Championship game. The Indians fell behind early, made a strong comeback, but lost 26-34. The loss ended the Indians' season. The Indians earned a record of 10 wins and 1 loss. Solomon advances to the State Semi-Final game against Spearville. Spearville was a 58-28 winner over Central Plains.

St. Francis won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Gorillas returned Dalton Straub's kick-off to the 20 yard line where seniors Lane Hobrock and Garrett Brunk stopped the advance. The Gorillas made only one yard on their first dive play into the middle of the line. On second down, Brock Waters' pressure on quarterback Jacob Tiernan caused the pass to be thrown incomplete. A third down pass attempt also fell incomplete, and the Gorillas' punted the ball away. The punt went out-of-bounds on the right sideline after a short distance.

The Indians had good field position beginning on the Solomon 32 yard line. Taylor Rogers ran around the right side and was forced out-of-bounds after a four yard gain. After another carry by Rogers, Lane Hobrock earned enough for a first down at the Gorilla 17 yard line. Quinton Cravens' pass intended for Tate Busse was incomplete in the right flat on first down. Cravens' second pass was intercepted by the Gorillas' senior Kord Hilbert and returned to the St. Francis 14 yard line before being tackled by Rogers.

Junior running back Nathan Webb carried left, and then right, for Solomon. Taylor Rogers' tackle on the second carry caused a loss of yardage. On 3rd-&-7, Jacob Tiernan completed an 11 yard pass to 185 pound senior Cain Fowles for a touchdown. The conversion attempt was stopped by a strong tackle by Justin Pacheco. St. Francis trailed 0-6 with 8:27 left in the first period.

Tate Busse's return brought the ball out to the St. Francis 33 yard line. After carries by Taylor Rogers and Justin Pacheco, Quinton Cravens connected with Garrett Brunk on a crossing route toward the left side. The play earned a new set of downs at the Gorilla 24 yard line and triggered a Solomon time-out. Tate Busse tried the left side for no gain, before Cravens' under pressure scramble up the middle resulted in a first down at the 12 yard line. On the next play, Rogers was met hard by the Gorillas, losing one yard. A long count caused the Gorillas to jump off-side giving St. Francis 2nd-&-6 at the 9 yard line. Garrett Brunk ran into the middle and was met by Blake Swenson's (196 lb. senior) aggressive tackle after a four yard gain. On 3rd-&-2, Rogers banged to the one yard line earning four more downs. Rogers ran hard, but was inches short of scoring on first down. Quinton Cravens' second-down sneak earned enough for the first Indian touchdown of the contest. Cravens passed to Rogers for the conversion points. With 4:09 left in the first period, St. Francis led 8-6.

Solomon returned the kick-off to the 26 yard line. After an incomplete pass on first down, Nathan Webb (171 lb. junior) rambled around the right side for a first down at the St. Francis 18 yard line. Garrett Brunk made a score-saving tackle on the play. Quarterback Jacob Tiernan ran for three yards on the next play. Good defensive pressure by Brock Waters caused the 2nd down pass attempt to be thrown incomplete. On third down, Tiernan's pass to Braden Neilson advanced the football to the two yard line. Cain Fowles was on the receiving end of Tiernan's touchdown pass on the next play. The conversion pass attempt to Fowles fell incomplete. Solomon retook the lead, 8-12, with 2:42 left in the first period.

Garrett Brunk recovered the short kick-off on the St. Francis 28 yard line. On first down, Justin Pacheco completed a powerful run for a first down, but the Indians were called for a block-in-the-back. The ball was moved back to the 21 yard line. A pass intended for Tate Busse was dropped on the following play. Justin Pacheco picked up 7 yards on another strong run on second down. Quinton Cravens was called for intentional grounding on the next play while scrambling under pressure. On 4th-&-21, the Indians punted. Cravens' punt was a good one, and was also complete with excellent coverage. Dalton Straub tackled the Gorilla's return man on the Solomon 9 yard line.

Straub made consecutive excellent plays; sacking Tiernan for a loss at the 4 yard line. Solomon used their second time-out. On the next snap, Hilbert picked up 20 yards around the left side. Pacheco and Brunk combined to stop the ensuing dive play for a very short gain. Tiernan was forced to scramble on the following play, and Pacheco made another fine tackle. On 3rd-&-8, Tiernan threw to Nathan Webb advancing the ball to mid-field where Brunk and Cravens made the stop. Hilbert earned 6 more on his next carry around the left end. After a pass to Hilbert gained zero yards, Tiernan ran over the left side all the way to the St. Francis 29 yard line. On the next snap, Tiernan completed a pass to Hilbert in the right corner of the end zone with 9:45 left in the second quarter. Tiernan's pass to Cyrus Haynes accounted the conversion points. The Indians now trailed 8-20.

Another short kick-off ended when Justin Pacheco downed the football at the St. Francis 32 yard line. Taylor Rogers rounded the left end and scampered for good yardage before begin knocked out-of-bounds by Tiernan at the Solomon 38. Quinton Cravens then dove for 8 yards up the middle. On the next carry, Garrett Brunk ran for another good gain around the left side but fumbled. The Gorillas recovered at their own 16 yard line. A nice drive by the Indians had come to an end with 8:57 left in the first half.

Solomon's first run around the left side was stopped by Tate Busse and others. On second down, Tiernan scrambled over the right side for nine yards. The 3rd down carry was stopped authoritatively by Justin Pacheco and Garret Brunk. Tiernan's sneak on fourth down gained just enough for a new series. Tiernan ran for two more over the right side before being tacked by Brock Waters. Tate Busse tackled the receiver of the Solomon swing pass for no gain on the following play. On 3rd-&-8, a pass interference call on the Indians gave Solomon a first down at the St. Francis 37. On the next play, Tiernan's pass to Hilbert moved the football to the St. Francis 8 yard line. The Gorillas were threatening again, and the Indians need a defensive stop. After two incomplete passes in the flat, the Gorillas completed a pass into the end zone for an apparent touchdown. A chop-block penalty negated the play and backed the Gorillas up to the 26 yard line. A scramble by Tiernan advanced the ball to the 12 and set up 4th down. After a Solomon time-out at 5:13, the Gorillas attempted a pass into the end zone. Quinton Cravens made an outstanding defensive play and deflected the football.

St. Francis could only muster one yard on the first three plays of the next possession (1 run and two incomplete passes) and punted on 4th down. The punt went off the side of Cravens' foot and went out-of-bounds at the St. Francis 29 yard line. The Gorillas were threatening again.

Nathan Webb picked up five yards over the left side on first down and tried the left side again on the ensuing play. The second down run found Webb powering his way to the St. Francis 14 yard line for a first down. On the next snap, Jacob Tiernan scored on a keeper to the right easily bounding into the end zone. With 2:50 to play in the first half, the Indians were down, 8-28.

The Gorillas' squib kick was covered by Brock Waters at the St. Francis 33 yard line. After a procedure penalty, Quinton Cravens banged up the middle for two yards. On the next play, defensive pressure forced Cravens to scramble, and the Gorilla's earned six yards on the sack. Joel Hill powered through the middle to the Gorillas's 35 earning a much needed first down with 1:21 to play. St. Francis called time-out to preserve the clock. Two plays later, Taylor Rogers advanced the football to the 21 yard line, and St. Francis burned their second time-out. After a dive by Justin Pacheco picked up four more yards, the Indians spent their final time-out. Two dive plays by Rogers gained a few more yards and earned a first down, but also used up some more clock. The Indians hustled to the line of scrimmage and spiked the football to stop the clock. On 2nd down, Cravens scrambled left and threw to Tate Busse for the touchdown. Cravens attempted pass to Lane Hobrock was well defended, and the conversion points were unsuccessful. With 4 seconds left in the first half. St. Francis had narrowed the deficit to 14-28.

Cyrus Haynes returned the kick-off and was met by Justin Pacheco's crunching tackle. The first half ended with the Indians trailing 14-28.

The Indians covered the second-half squib kick at their own 21 yard line. Making some outstanding cuts in his run, Taylor Rogers picked up 8 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Rogers advanced the ball to the 35 for a first down on the next play. Facing 4th&-9 a few plays later, the Indians punted. The punt was short and was downed at the Solomon 26 yard line.

Webb's first down carry earned just enough for a new set of downs. Two plays later, the Gorillas faced 3rd-7-one foot. A strong carry moved the football to the St. Francis 37 for another 1st down. Webb was met by Justin Pacheco after a gain of four yards. On 2nd down, a pass to Hilbert gained enough for another first, but a flag on the Gorillas backed them up and made the situation 2nd-&-23. A pass to Cain Fowles earned nine of the needed yards. On 3rd and 14, Quinton Cravens intercepted Tiernan's pass to stop the drive.

St. Francis set up offense at their own 30 yard line. After runs by Joel Hill and Taylor Rogers gained a total of one yard, Quinton Cravens completed a much-needed pass to Lane Hobrock for a first down at the 31. On the next play, Taylor Rogers ran for 7 yards, and then Cravens picked up another first down at the Solomon 20 on a carry around the right side. After a Rogers run netted one yard on first down, Garrett Brunk rounded the left end and sprinted 19 yards for an Indian touchdown. The conversion pass attempt fell incomplete. With 5:09 left in the third period, St. Francis had trimmed the margin to 20-28.

St. Francis' kick went out-of-bounds and the Gorillas elected to have them re-kick. Hilbert returned the kick to the 26 yard line where he was tackled by Lane Hobrock. The Gorillas picked up a new first down at the 37 on their first carry of the possession; a dive over the left side. Three plays later, on 4th-&-one, the Gorillas were penalized for holding. St. Francis declined the penalty at took over on downs.

St. Francis began at their own 34 yard line, but were penalized for procedure before the ball was snapped. On the next play, with the Indians in a shotgun formation, a deep snap sailed over quarterback Quinton Cravens' head. Quinton recovered for the Indians on the 14 yard line. Facing 2nd-& 40, Cravens ran the right side for 18 yards. Cravens scrambled up the middle on the next play for 14 more. On 4th-&-8, Cravens' pass intended for Joel Hill was intercepted by the Gorillas.

Solomon was in good field position again; beginning on the Indian 29 yard line. Webb was met soundly by Joel Hill on the first play of possession. The play resulted in a one-yard loss. The third quarter ended with the Indians trailing 20-28. Solomon was called for intentional grounding on the next play, but on 4th-&-12, Tiernan completed a pass to Cain Fowles at the 18 yard line.  Webb ran for good yardage on the next carry, but the play was nullified by an illegal block penalty. On 1st-&-25, Tiernan's pass was nearly caught behind the St. Francis defense by a diving receiver. The next pass attempt was complete, but Garrett Brunk stopped the play after a two-yard gain. The Gorillas picked up two more yards on a pass in the right flat on the following play. Facing 4th-&-21 at the 29 yard line, the Gorillas called time-out. The ensuing heave into the end zone was intercepted by Taylor Rogers when he out-jumped several others to retrieve the football.

After the touchback, Joel Hill ran for a 6-yard gain over the right side. Taylor Rogers earned three tough yards on the following play, and Quinton Cravens earned a first down on the third play of the possession. After an option play picked up two yards, Cravens flipped the ball to Hill who sprinted 42 yards to paydirt. The conversion pass was intercepted by the Gorillas. With 7:55 remaining, the Indians had closed within two points, 26-28, and each missed conversion was looming larger.

Luke Lampe tackled Solomon's return man just inside the 25 yard line. Tiernan picked up 8 yards before being tackled by Taylor Rogers on first down, and ran for a new set of downs at the 36 on the next play. A toss to Hilbert earned 9 more around the left side. Webb banged for 10 more over the left side on the following carry. Hilbert then carried for four yards before Tiernan plowed to the 14. After an incomplete pass, Tiernan gained one on the left side before being soundly met by Justin Pacheco. On 3rd-&-9 at the 13, Tiernan banged his way to the 5 setting up 4th-&-1. On the next play, Tiernan ran over the left side to the one and earned a first down. With 3:42 left in the contest, Tiernan crashed into the end zone over the left side of the Gorilla's offensive line. The conversion pass attempt was deflected by Taylor Rogers, keeping the Indians within one possession. With 3:12 remaining, the Indians trailed 26-34.

The Gorillas' squib kick was covered by Justin Pacheco at the 26 yard line. Rogers lost one yard on carry into the middle of the Solomon defense. On second down, Cravens was sacked for a two yard loss. The Indians called time-out to discuss their options with 2:23 left. On the next play, Cravens' pass was intercepted by the Gorillas at the Solomon 16 yard line.

Solomon quarterback Jacob Tiernan banged for 4 yards up the middle on the Gorillas first play of the possession before being tackled by Trayton Doyle. St. Francis called time-out with 2:06 remaining. Hilbert carried for 5 on the next play. On 3rd-&-1, with the Indians desperately needing a stop, Tiernan plowed ahead for a first down at the 31 yard line. St. Francis used their last time-out with 0:54 showing on the clock. The Gorillas snapped the ball twice, kneeling on each play to run out the clock. The game had been an excellent one with both teams competing extremely hard. The Indians lost to the Solomon Gorillas 26-34.

Solomon advances to play the number one ranked team in Class 1A - Division I, Spearville. Congratulations to both teams on outstanding seasons!

Click the photos to see more photos!

To see additional photos from the game CLICK HERE!

More photos can also be found on the "Photos" page.