Box Score

Twelve seniors played in their final football game at Ramer Field on Saturday as the Falcons fell to the UW-Eau Claire, 27-21.
 
The Falcons struck first, after forcing the Blugolds to a three-and-out on the opening series, B.J. Letourneau (Falcon Heights, MN, Roseville) led the offense 70 yards on 12 plays for the opening score. Letourneau completed six passes for 46 yards on the opening drive.  Taylor Edwards (Janesville, WI, Parker) finished the drive with a two yard touchdown run, putting the Falcons up 7-0.
 
Later in the second quarter, Letourneau found Brady Hannigan (Oakdale, MN, North St. Paul) from 7-yards out allowing the Falcons to regain the lead 14-7.  Letourneau finished the day 20-40 for 163 yards and a score in his final game as a Falcon – finishing his career with 14 touchdown passes and just five interceptions in 488 career attempts.

“We started the game very well offensively,” said Falcon Coach Matt Walker. “We were able to get touchdowns on our first two drives and that set the pace.”
 
Following Hannigan's third touchdown reception of the season, the Blugolds put up 20 unanswered points to climb to a 27-14 lead.
 
The Falcons made a late rally as Letourneau led the team 71 yards on five plays in the fourth quarter.  The final time the senior quarterback would touch the ball in his collegiate career, he connected on 3-4 passes for 68 yards. The final throw of his career was a 12-yard-pass to fellow senior Edwards for a score. The touchdown was the 24^th of Edwards storied career at River Falls.
 
Edwards finished with 20 carries for 99 yards and a score in his final game as a Falcon. Edwards finished with 3,246 yards rushing in his career – finishing second in the WIAC in each of the last three seasons. He was the first back to rush for over 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons since Chris Krueger from 1988-1990.
 
After a failed onside kick attempt, the Blugolds ran out the clock to win the season finale 27-21. The Falcons finished 1-9 on the season and the Blugolds 5-5. The loss is the Falcons 11^th straight defeat at home.
 
During the first six games of the season, the Falcons average margin of defeat was 24 points. During the last four games, the margin was two points per game, including their first victory in 18 attempts vs. La Crosse.
 
Late in the second quarter, senior Matt Ainsworth (Maple Grove, MN, Osseo) picked off his fourth pass of the season.  Ainsworth had a team-best 10 tackles, two quarterback hurries, and the interception. Ainsworth finished his career with 198 tackles in the Falcons secondary.
 
Nate Smits (Hudson, WI, Hudson) finished with 10 tackles as well, including two for a loss and a sack. Smits finished the season with a team-best 74 tackles and 11 for a loss. Lincoln Bjorklund (New Sweden, MN, Sibley East) picked up the other sacks for the Falcons.

“Defensively we played very well,” said Walker. “They made some big plays - Matt's interdception was just one of them. But in the second half we couldn't get anything going offensively. Despite that we scored late and nearly came up with the on-side kick after we scored to make it 27-21.”
 
Also wrapping up their career for the Falcons was senior fullback Joel Yogerst (Richfield, WI, Slinger). Yogerst is the only senior to start all 40 games of his career. In 86 career carries, Yogerst had just three carries for a loss and was 17/19 when touching the ball on third or fourth down this season.
 
The seniors for the Falcons were Letourneau, Edwards, Yogerst, Ainsworth, Greg Klingelhutz (Chanhassen, MN, Holy Family), Danny Johnson (Stillwater, MN, Stillwater), Zach Groves (Coon Rapids, MN, Coon Rapids), Joe Gotmer (Hayward, WI, Hayward), Dylan Peterson (Sun Prairie, WI, Sun Prairie), Chris Aeschliman (Downing, WI, Boyceville), and Ryan Bartsch (Cameron, WI, Cameron).

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