Mission has strong start with first drive but falls to

Florence

ST. IGNATIUS - The Mission Bulldogs dominated the first couple of drives against the Florence Falcons, but the game unraveled from there as Florence emerged with a 46-8 victory in St. Ignatius on Friday, Sept. 23.

"We had good balance on offense on that first drive," head coach Rich Ferris said. "Defensively, we were able to stop the run."

The Bulldogs used a solid running attack, then struck from 15 yards out when Dylan Evans found Austin Durglo in the end zone. After a botched extra point where Florence was penalized, Evans snuck in for an early 8-0 lead.

"That's the way we try to generate offense," Ferris said. "Get three or four yards at a time and move the sticks."

Florence went three and out on their first drive, giving Mission the ball back, but the Bulldogs had trouble putting together lengthy drives.

The Falcons capitalized on most possessions, successfully moving the ball through the air, negating Mission's strong rushing defense.

"We had a couple breakdowns in coverage, but we did well against the run," Ferris said.

The Bulldogs suffered a scare in the third quarter. After a bad snap, Dylan Evans scrambled back to recover the ball before falling awkwardly, untouched and leaving in an ambulance. Coach Ferris, however, said Evans should be "full go" for their next contest.

Florence continued the air assault, giving them a comfortable lead in the second half, but Ferris was proud of his players' effort on Friday.

"The kids are playing hard," Ferris said. "That's the important thing; that they're trying to get better. We take every game, win or lose, try to learn from it and then move on."

Mission has a chance to bounce back when they head to Loyola on Friday, Sept. 30. It will be another tough test for the Bulldogs, but with a couple adjustments on defense and a more consistent offense, should be in for a fight against the Lions.