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Eric Bendig told his team all week it would just have to keep punching. The Philip Simmons High School football coach compared the Iron Horses’ trip to Timberland High School Friday, Oct. 25, to a heavyweight title fight.
Yes, the Iron Horses would have to battle, but there was a prize at the end if they landed enough decisive blows. The visitors did that, especially in the second half. The Iron Horses won for the fifth straight game and locked up the Region 6-2A crown with a 21-7 victory over the Wolves in St.
Stephen. “This is No. 1 in a three-step process,” Bendig said.
“We wanted to win the region. We want to go in the Lower State playoffs and make noise. It’s kind of like we’ve reached the next part of our season.
We’ve got to go out there and, one by one, start winning games.” Philip Simmons, ranked No. 9 in 2A, improved to 7-2 overall and 4-0 in league play with one regular season game remaining Friday, Nov.
1, at Andrews. The Class 2A playoffs start Friday, Nov. 15 and the Iron Horses will host a game.
Philip Simmons did its best work in the second half, totally dominating the final 24 minutes. The Iron Horses recorded five takeaways and blocked a punt to rally from a 7-0 halftime deficit. “We challenged them in the locker room, but they were ready,” Bendig said.
“They weren’t down. They knew they had a really good chance to win. We’re just so proud of the way they came out.
They turned the momentum with the turnovers and big plays. We just went out there and got it done.” Timberland quarterback Malyk Goodman reached paydirt on a 2-yard run with 1:16 remaining in the first half and Aiden Berrios tacked on the extra point, sending the Iron Horses into the locker room on the losing end of the scoreboard.
Today's Top Headlines Story continues below “We knew we were going to make adjustments on offense,” Bendig said. “The kids knew they were down 7-0, but you might have thought they were up 14-0.” Philip Simmons’ resurgence was swift.
The Iron Horses recovered a Timberland fumble at midfield just over a minute into the third quarter and quarterback Tavien Orellana connected with receiver Patrick Clarke on a 5-yard touchdown pass with 9:37 left in the third quarter. CJ Falotico’s extra pointed evened the score, 7-7. Iron Horses defensive back TJ Walker then picked off a deep ball at the Philip Simmons 15 with just over eight minutes left in the period.
Speedy running back Darriel Porcher went 64 yards to break the tie moments later and Falotico’s extra point put Philip Simmons out front, 14-7. Timberland (6-3, 3-1 region) continued to trade with the Iron Horses, though, and Berrios returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards to set up the Wolves in good field position. While close to forging another tie, Timberland lost a fumble inside the 10-yard line.
The Wolves stayed in it, though, with some good defense of their own to force back-to-back punts and starting drives inside Philip Simmons territory. Neither went anywhere and Philip Simmons was able to get field position back in its favor with a blocked punt at midfield on the first play of the fourth quarter. Timberland’s defense stood strong again, but Falotico hit a beautiful punt that rolled out of bounds at the Wolves 1 with 10 minutes left in the game.
Forcing another Timberland punt, Philip Simmons was able to get it to a two-score game on a 60-yard pass from Orellana to Ashton Kellermann with 7:10 remaining. The Iron Horses’ secondary sealed it with two interceptions in the final four minutes. “Those guys laid it on the line,” Bendig said.
“They were going up some really good, big players. We challenged them all week.” Timberland caps the regular season at Woodland Friday, Nov.
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