Falcons sneak past Wildcats, 22-21

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Rob Arnett
  • Air Force Academy Public Affairs
EVANSTON, Ill. (AFPN) --  Nate Allen’s electrifying 79-yard interception return for a touchdown sparked the Air Force Academy Falcons to a fourth-quarter come-from-behind victory, 22-21, over the Northwestern Wildcats.

“That (score) gave our football team a new life; it gave us a belief,” said Fisher DeBerry, the Falcons head coach.

Free safety Larry Duncan and back Dennis Poland also picked off Wildcats quarterback Brett Basanez to give the Falcons three fourth-quarter interceptions.

The Falcons capitalized on the Wildcat turnovers to overcome a 21-7 deficit entering the final quarter of play.

Adding to the pressure of trailing the Wildcats was the loss of the Falcon’s star quarterback, Chance Harridge. Harridge was ejected in the third quarter for throwing a punch after losing a fumble. He finished the game with 45 yards rushing on seven carries and 51 yards passing on two completions.

Harridge’s ejection left sophomore backup quarterback Adam Fitch in command of the offense. In his first series, he led the Falcon offense on an 11-play, 80-yard drive capped off by Anthony Butler’s 4-yard touchdown run.

“I thought Adam played with a lot of poise; I thought our older guys rallied around him very well,” said DeBerry.

Fitch finished the day completing three passes on four attempts for a total of 51 yards.

Falcon running back Anthony Butler led the offense with two touchdowns. Butler rushed for 107 yards on just 12 carries, averaging nearly nine yards each time he ran the ball. He broke a scoreless tie with 3:30 left in the first quarter when he galloped 56 yards down the sideline for a touchdown after eluding two Wildcat defenders.

Butler pounded out punishing yards and gained a critical first down late in the third quarter to sustain the drive that brought the Falcons within eight points of the Wildcats. Butler also completed a 37-yard halfback pass to receiver J.P. Waller in the first half of play.

“I thought Anthony Butler showed that he is a big-time back,” DeBerry said. “When it was tough yardage, he never quit; his legs never stopped.”

The Falcons went ahead for good with 2:01 left in the fourth quarter when Joey Ashcroft split the uprights with a 25-yard field goal to pull ahead 22-21. Dennis Poland’s interception and return set the Falcons up with great field position for Ashcroft to kick the game winner.

The Falcon defense preserved the win by continuing the stingy play that characterized the second half, in which they only allowed seven points and forced three turnovers. Wildcat’s quarterback Brett Basanez was repeatedly hurried, forced to scramble and often knocked down or sacked.

“He got knocked around as much as an option quarterback today,” said DeBerry about Basanez.

Despite the Falcon victory, DeBerry said he believes his team needs a lot of improvement in the next couple of weeks before they can consider themselves a good team.

“(The number of untimely penalties) are very uncharacteristic of Falcon football. We better wake up, we better take control, and we better take charge of those types of things,” DeBerry said.

Although they did not play the perfect game, DeBerry said he was thankful for the win.

“We made plays when we had to, and we won the game … I thought our kids fought hard, and I’m encouraged about that,” he said.

The Falcons return home to play the University of North Texas on Sept. 13.