On Saturday, Oct. 8, the Falcons varsity football Homecoming game kicked off with stands packed and expectations high. The Falcons matched up with Terra Linda High School, ending in a win for AWHS with a score of 21-7.

The first quarter started off with junior Nate Sampson injuring his shoulder. The injury clipped the Falcons’ wings early on, as Nate had been a key part of the offense. This blow to the offense made it much more difficult for the Falcons to score, leaving them scoreless at the end of the first quarter.

The Falcons soared early in the second quarter, starting with senior Parker Freskos intercepting the ball. Despite a foul for unsportsmanlike conduct and a 15 yard penalty, junior Kyle Frederickson finally scored a Falcon touchdown after a series of running plays.

With one minute left in the second quarter, the Trojans charged down the field following a noteworthy catch. Although Trojan receiver Cole Green scored, offensive penalties forced referees to reject the touchdown. With seconds left on the clock, the Trojans ran out of time to score, ending the first half with a 7-0 Falcons lead.

The halftime show featured a crowd favorite: the AWHS Dance Troupe. Dance Troupe put on a great performance and had the crowd roaring, getting fans and players excited for the second half.

Similar to the first two quarters, the third was long and drawn out. With no key plays or decisive moments, players spent the majority of the quarter running up and down the field instead of scoring. 

Towards the end of the quarter, a Trojans player managed to score a touchdown, followed by the Falcons responding with one of their own. These two plays ended the third quarter with Falcons in the lead at 14-7.

The fourth and final quarter opened with Nicholas’ third interception of the season, but was followed by an unfortunate foul by the Falcons. Although this caused a Falcon turnover, they were able to wrestle their way into the Trojan endzone for a third time, making the score 21-7.

Head coach Anthony Jackson expressed that he and his team have learned from their faults in previous games.

“[There was] a lot more depth today. A lot of guys stepped up and practiced for this game. We were able to route more guys in so that our guys didn’t die in the second half,” Jackson said.

This exciting Homecoming game came to an exciting end for the Falcons, who hope to continue their winning streak on Oct. 15 at Marin Catholic High School.