It was clear from the outset that Good Counsel was determined to stop Maurice Coker and the Stags’ running game.    On DeMatha’s first possession, a couple of short passes netted first downs, but there was no room to run and the Stags were forced to punt.  The Falcons started deep in their own territory at the 10-yard line.  Wes Brown found some running room on the drive, but it was a shuffle pass from Zach Dancel that really got GC going.  It appeared that Dancel was sacked on the play, but somehow he found a way to sling the ball to Brown for a 33-yard gain, down to the DeMatha  22-yard line.  Good Counsel decided to go for it on 4^th down and 4-yards to go and Dancel hit tight-end Vince Croce on a slant for a 13-yard gain.  On the next play, Brown scored the 3-yard touchdown, following a block from Mike Nittoli for a 7-0 lead.  After forcing a DeMatha punt, GC was knocking on the door again, following a play-action pass from Dancel to EJ Scott for 34 yards, but the Falcons came up empty.

The second quarter was dominated by both defenses.  Neither team’s defense gave up a first down.  It was a field position battle with DeMatha holding the edge.  GC was operating much of the time deep in their own territory.   With the clock running down in the half, the Stags forced a fumble and gained possession at the Falcons’ 13-yard line and converted on a pass play to tie the score at 7-7 just before half.

Good Counsel punted on their first possession to begin the second half, and thanks to excellent coverage of Kyle Hamby's punt by Steve Snyder, there would be little return.  Blake Countess barely missed blocking DeMatha’s punt, but EJ Scott was able to give GC some breathing room with a fine return to the 31-yard line.  Yardage was still tough to come by in the third quarter and the Falcons and Stags again traded possessions.  Mike Nittoli got things going on a sweep for a first down followed by a great second effort run for another first down.  DeMatha forced a fumble to stop the drive.  Then, the Stags’ offense gathered some momentum with two first downs, taking them to the GC 43-yard line.  Vince Croce was a force during this stretch, but this is the point where you could say that Louis Young took over the game.  Young made a diving catch of an errant DeMatha pass, keeping his hands between the ball and the ground for the interception.  It was now GC’s ball, going into the all-important fourth quarter with the score still tied at 7.

The final quarter began with a bang.  Dancel faked the handoff to Brown and rolled to his left, hitting EJ Scott streaking down the sideline for a 48-yard gain.  GC stayed with the pass, and Dancel hit Young on the sideline for a 14-yard gain down to the DeMatha 22 yard-line.  One play later, Dancel hit Young again, this time on a hitch-and-go pattern in the corner of the end zone for the 20-yard go-ahead touchdown and a 14-7 lead.   Chris Pitsenberger stuffed a running play and Young stopped a receiver in his tracks with a huge hit, forcing the Stags into a 4^th and 1-yard to go decision.  With over 6 minutes left in the game, DeMatha decided to punt.  Stefon Diggs fought hard on the punt return, giving GC the ball back at the 45-yard line.  Following runs by Brown and Nittoli, the Falcons were threatening again on the DeMatha 35-yard line, but were also left with a decision.  It was 4^th down and 4-yards to go from the DeMatha 30-yard line with 5:30 remaining.  Good Counsel decided to go for it, but Dancel was sacked before he could find an open receiver.  DeMatha had the ball back and progressed to the 48-yard line with 3:33 remaining.  They went for the big play, a long pass, but Young leaped in the air for his second interception at the 10-yard line.   That play would not mean the end of the game for DeMatha, as the Stags’ defense stopped GC immediately and forced the punt.  The stage was set for another last-minute DeMatha comeback in the WCAC Championship game.  It was the Stags’ ball at the GC 46-yard line with two minutes remaining.  A quick completion and DeMatha was down to the GC 24-yard line.  Our great fans were urging on the defense.  Diggs stopped a swing pass, giving DeMatha third down and 10 from the GC 25-yard line with 1:12 remaining.   A penalty put the Stags back on the 30.  Young stopped a pass play for no gain.  So this was it, fourth down and 15 yards-to-go.  Troy Gloster ensured there were no miracle comebacks this time, sacking Daniel Tapscott to seal the victory.  Congratulations to the Falcons on a season to remember and their first WCAC Championship Trophy!   

Good Counsel started the game strong with a 7-minute, 85-yard scoring drive.  Key plays were a 24-yard pass from Zach Dancel to Wes Brown and a 19-yard throw to Vince Croce, taking the Falcons down to the McNamara 17-yard line.  Wes Brown took it down to the 4-yard line and Mike Nittoli scored fom there, giving GC a 7-0 lead.  Excellent kickoff coverage forced the Mustangs to start from their 17-yard line.  Chris Pitsenberger was back in the lineup and made his presence felt immediately with a stop for a 3-yard loss, and McNamara was forced to punt.  Blake Countess blocked the punt and the ball bounced back into his hands in the end zone.  Kyle Hamby added the extra point for a 14-0 lead.

On McNamara’s next possession, Pitsenberger recorded a QB sack for a 12-yard loss, with the assistance of Carson Ingle.  GC got the ball back in great field position at the McNamara 43-yard line, but the Mustangs held.  McNamara took over and advanced down to the Falcons 11-yard on a 45-yard pass play.  They would get no further, as the GC defense tightened.  Rohan Williamson and Vince Croce had a stop for a 1-yard loss.   The Mustangs were forced to attempt a 31-yard field goal and missed.  On this drive, the Falcons relied on a tough running game to carry them down the field.  Brown and Nittoli shared the load, but Dancel contributed with a fine spinning run.  Brown reached for the goal-line on an 11-yard run, but came up short and Nittoli scored the touchdown for a 20-0 lead.  With only a minute left in the half, the Mustangs went for a long pass play, but Louis Young intercepted and ran it back to the McNamara 46-yard line.

In the second half, the GC defense picked up where they left off, with stops in the backfield by Pitsenberger, Troy Gloster, and AJ Bowman.  But McNamara executed a fake punt and kept the drive alive down to the Falcons 27-yard line.  Again, Pitsenberger, Gloster, and Bowman made plays and stopped the Mustangs drive.  Good Counsel took over and Nittoli busted through the line, and rambled for 48-yards before being run out of bounds.  Dancel perfectly executed the bootleg and was all alone, taking into the end zone for the 1-yard touchdown.  Dancel rolled out and flipped a pass to AJ Bowman for the 2-point conversion, giving GC a commanding 28-0 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter began with Stefon Diggs breaking up a McNamara reception with perfectly-timed hit.  The Mustangs kept the drive alive, however, and scored on a double pass play, quarterback to receiver to receiver, for a 42-yard touchdown cutting the lead to 28-6.  McNamara tried an onside kick, but Michael Nicastro caught it and GC was in business at the 45-yard line.  After a run fake, Dancel rolled out and found Louis Young, who juked his way in for the touchdown and a 35-6 lead with 8:08 remaining in the game.  McNamara threatened once more, but Rohan Williamson intercepted in the end zone to stop the drive.  Now it’s on to the Championship game!

The Good Counsel defense was aggressive from the start, stopping Archbishop Carroll on three plays, led by two tackles in the backfield by Dominick Mitchell, and one by Troy Gloster.  On the Falcons first possession, Zach Dancel found EJ Scott open over the middle for a 33-yard gain.  The Lions defense held inside the 10-yard line, forcing GC to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Kyle Hamby and a 3-0 lead.  Good Counsel got the ball back on their 42-yard line, thanks to an interception by Al Thompson.   Mike Nittoli advanced the ball to the Carroll 46-yard line on two running plays, then Wes Brown scored the touchdown, faking out would-be tacklers on the way, giving GC a 10-0 lead.  AJ Bowman and Tom Kokolas applied the defensive pressure on Carroll’s next possession with quarterback sacks, forcing the Lions to punt.  However, the Falcons fumbled on the next play, which Carroll ran in for the score.  The 2-point conversion failed and GC’s lead was cut to 10-6.

Blake Countess had the play of the game, taking the kickoff up the middle, breaking arm tackles while keeping his feet, and breaking it outside for an exciting 90-yard touchdown return.    The Falcons were back in command 17-6.  Carroll was forced to punt again, when Kokolas blew up a play for a 7-yard loss.  Dancel hit Josh Warner with a short pass for an 11-yard gain and a first down.  Nittoli ran through a hole up the middle for a 42-yard gain down to the 2 and Wes Brown took it in for a 24-6 lead.  Carroll fumbled on their possession, and it was recovered by Al Thompson on the Lions 31-yard line.  With only 47 seconds remaining in the half, the Falcons worked quickly.  A behind-the-back handoff to Nittoli to the 15-yard line, a sideline pass to Louis Young to the 3, and the touchdown pass to EJ Scott gave GC a 31-6 halftime lead.

Good Counsel picked up where they left off in the second half.  Dancel threw a short pass to Nittoli, who turned it into a 35-yard gain.  Dancel found EJ Scott for completions of 8, 14, and 17 yards for the touchdown.  GC led 38-6.  On the Falcons next possession, a couple of touchdowns were called back on penalties, but GC persevered, and Wes Brown scored his second touchdown from the 4-yard line, giving Good Counsel a commanding 44-6 lead.  Mikal Mayo and Mike Jefferson took over the running responsibilities and Jefferson added another score, breaking to the outside and using his speed to get to the pylon on a 28-yard touchdown run.  GC completed an outstanding regular season with a 9-1 record and their sights set on the WCAC playoffs.  

The Falcons came out firing on all cylinders against the Eagles.  Blake Countess started the game with a 49-yard kickoff return giving GC excellent field position at the Gonzaga 41-yard line.  On the first play from scrimmage, Wes Brown utilized a block by Mike Nittoli and blazed into the end zone for the touchdown.  Kyle Hamby added the extra point and GC led 7-0.  Led by a tackle for a loss by Troy Gloster and AJ Bowman, the GC defense forced the punt after three plays, giving the Falcons good field position at the 44-yard line.  Out of the shotgun formation, Zach Dancel found Wes Brown open over the middle for a 35-yard completion.  Brown finished the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run and a 14-0 lead.  On Gonzaga’s next possession, Frank Tamakloe had the hit of the game, resulting in a 4-yard loss.  The Eagles completed a pass over the middle, but Bowman stripped the ball from the receiver and Tamakloe recovered.  On the next play, Dancel found EJ Scott wide open for a 48-yard touchdown pass.  Still in the first quarter, GC led 21-0.  Gonzaga’s defense tightened up in the second quarter and the score remained the same going into the half.

Gonzaga’s offense cut the lead to 21-7 to start the second half, taking advantage of a GC penalty to keep the drive alive.  Good Counsel answered when Brown scored his third touchdown from 4-yards out to extend the lead to 28-7.  Tamakloe got a piece of the Gonzaga punt, giving GC excellent field position at Eagles 48-yard line.  The Falcons kept their drive alive as Nick Gorman ran for a first down on a fake punt.  The drive stalled and Gonzaga got the ball back deep in their territory.  On the Eagles punt, the snap was high and the punter made a good decision taking the safety.  GC led 30-7.  Scott returned the kickoff down to the Gonzaga 35-yard line.  Mike Jefferson leaped over the pile for a 1-yard touchdown as Good Counsel closed out the 37-7 win.

St. John’s started the game deep in their own territory and put together a long drive with a combination of pass and run, but the Good Counsel defense held when they got close to the red zone.   The Falcons took over on downs.  Zach Dancel ran for a first down, followed by a screen pass to Louis Young for another first.  Wes Brown got his 192-yard rushing performance going with a couple of first downs.  An interference call in the end zone put the Falcons in scoring position.  However, the Cadets’ defense toughened up when Good Counsel got down to the 4-yard line, forcing the Falcons to bring in Kyle Hamby to kick a 25-yard field goal, giving Good Counsel a 3-0 lead with 9:54 left in the half.  Frank Tamakloe quickly made it downfield on the kickoff and tackled the Saint John’s returner at the 12-yard line.  St. John’s moved the ball, but it looked like Good Counsel would get the ball back as the Cadets had a 4^th and 8-yards to go at the Falcons’ 49-yard line.  However, St. John’s executed a fake punt pass play down to the 27-yard line.  Mike Nittoli came up with a big stop, forcing Saint John’s to kick a 41-yard field goal, which they converted to tie the score at 3-3.  The Falcons had some success on their next drive, but just missed on a couple of big plays and punted the ball back to the Cadets.  Kyle Hamby hit the perfect punt, as the ball rolled out of bounds on the Saint John’s 2-yard line with 2:51 left in the half.  Tamakloe made a leaping catch for an interception in SJ territory, but GC could not take advantage.  Carson Ingle stuffed a run and Tom Kokolas batted down a pass as the clock ran out on the low-scoring half.

Good Counsel and St. John’s traded punts to start the second half and the GC offense found their rhythm on the next possession.  Dancel kept the drive alive with a 16-yard gain on a third down play.  Brown had a great 34-yard run down to Saint John’s 26-yard line.   Nittoli capped the drive with a 17-yard touchdown run giving the Falcons the lead at 9-3.  St. John’s answered with two big plays, a 41-yard run and a 24-yard touchdown pass on a 4^th down and 3 to go, to give them the 10-9 lead.    The Falcons came right back with a 22-yard run by Wes Brown and a rollout pass from Dancel to Nittoli for 17-yards.  At the St. John’s 36-yard line, Dancel found Young in the end zone for the touchdown.   St. John’s stopped the Falcons’ 2-point conversion attempt and Good Counsel led 15-10 at the start of the fourth quarter.   The Cadets tried a halfback pass on their next possession, but Louis Young followed his touchdown with an interception at the Good Counsel 35-yard line.   Behind the running of Wes Brown, the Falcons got down to the St. John’s  34-yard line, but could not convert on a 4^th down play.  On St. John’s next possession, Mike Madaras had a stop in the backfield and Saint John’s was forced to punt.  However, a penalty on the punt kept the drive alive, and the Cadets drove deep into Good Counsel territory.  With 3:33 remaining, Good Counsel saved the day when Al Thompson forced a fumble and Ryan Watson recovered at the 8-yard line.  The offensive line ensured the Good Counsel win, giving Wes Brown room to run for a couple of first downs and Mike Nittoli a seam to run through for the 66-yard clinching touchdown.   St. John’s put up quite a struggle, but Good Counsel escaped with a 22-10 win.

Only the hardiest of fans were present on this cold and rainy night.  Paul VI started the game with the ball deep in their territory after excellent kick coverage by GC.  It was three plays and out for PVI, as the Good Counsel defense would only allow four first downs for the entire game.  The short punt left the Falcons with excellent field position on the PVI 30-yard line.  Wes Brown ran it down to the 1-yard line on a 4^th and 1 play.  Zach Dancel scored on the QB keeper and GC led 7-0.  Kyle Hamby, with Nick Gorman holding, did an excellent job converting all 7 extra points with a slippery ball in the inclement weather.    After a PVI punt, GC was again in PVI territory, when Zach Dancel rolled out and found Louis Young on the sideline for a first down.  A turnover stopped the drive, but PVI could not take advantage, and the Falcons were back in business at the Panthers 44-yard line.  Behind excellent blocking, Wes Brown scored quickly.  First, a 5-yard gain to the 39, followed by a sweep wide left for the touchdown and a 14-0 lead.  PVI was forced to punt on their next possession.  Mike Nittoli tackled the punter before he could get the punt away at the Panthers 9-yard line.  Again, two carries by Brown and GC had a 21-0 lead.    PVI fumbled, Rohan Williamson recovered, and on the next play, Nittoli ran it in for a 27-yard touchdown.  Just that quickly, it was 28-0.  GC would score again before the half, as Dancel hit EJ Scott for a 35-yard gain, followed by Dancel taking it in himself for a 10-yard TD run.  GC took a 35-0 lead into halftime.

Michael Nicastro recovered the PVI onside kick to begin the second half.  Good Counsel and Paul VI traded punts in the third quarter.  GC got back on the board in the fourth quarter when quarterback Nick Gorman was forced out of the pocket and scrambled for a big gain.  Sean Sutton used his speed to get to the pylon on the 5-yard TD run and a 42-0 lead.  Carson Ingle and Daniel Knowles registered a quarterback sack.  Damen Jones finished off the evening with a 71-yard interception return, streaking down the sideline for the touchdown and a 49-0 win over Paul VI.  Next up, St. Johns, a home game!

DeMatha got the ball first as GC kicked off to start the game.  The Falcons defense was effective stopping the run, but the Stags gained enough yards through the air to take them into the red zone.  GC held there and forced DeMatha to kick a field goal and trailed 3-0.  The GC offense started at their  20-yard line and got things going with a pass completion from Zach Dancel to Stefon Diggs, which Diggs turned into a 55-yard gain down to the Stags 26-yard line.  A couple of runs by Wes Brown and a dump pass from Dancel to Mike Nittoli and GC was down to the 8-yard line.  Brown ran it in for the touchdown putting GC on top 7-3.  DeMatha had good field position to start their next drive, but a stop by Al Thompson in the backfield and a batted down pass by Vince Croce on third down stopped the drive.  DeMatha attempted a long field goal, but missed.  Good Counsel was on the move again.  A long run by Brown, a pass by Dancel to Croce over the middle, and some fancy running by Louis Young after catching a short pass were the highlights.  The Falcons capped off the drive with a 3-yard TD pass from Dancel to EJ Scott, extending their lead to 14-3.  On the kickoff, Mike Jefferson prevented the DeMatha returner from taking it all the way for the touchdown with a saving tackle.  Still, with excellent field position, DeMatha was looking to score before the half, but the GC defense held the Stags out of field goal range.

Good Counsel picked up where they left off in the second half, scoring on their third consecutive drive.  A pass completion to Young, followed by some excellent running by Dancel and Brown took the ball down to the 1-yard line.  Dancel snuck it in for the 1-yard touchdown.  Kyle Hamby followed with his third extra point of the game, and GC was out to a commanding 21-3 lead with 8:14 left in the third quarter.   DeMatha and Good Counsel were forced to punt on their next two possessions.  When the Falcons punted for the second time, the DM returner was able to break a few tackles and get down to the GC 35-yard line.  Croce had a stop in the backfield on the series, but DM kept the drive going and Maurice Coker ran it in from 17 yards out for the touchdown, cutting the lead to 21-10, with 11:06 remaining in the game.   GC fumbled on their next possession, giving DeMatha excellent field position again on the GC 35-yard line.  On the very next play, Coker broke loose for another touchdown, this one a 39-yard jaunt, and the comfortable GC lead shrunk to 21-17.  Good Counsel looked like they were on the way to sealing the victory, as they drove the ball down the field, running precious time off the clock.  Mike Nittoli’s long run from scrimmage put the Falcons deep in DM territory.  With a 4^th and short from the 10 yard line, the Falcons went for it.  If successful, GC could run out the clock with only 2:35 left.  But DeMatha came up with a huge play, stopping the QB sneak short of the first down.  So, DM had the ball back, but needed to score quickly.  After just a few plays, Coker had the game-breaking 63-yard touchdown run, giving DeMatha the lead 24-21.   Now GC needed to score very quickly, with only 1 minute left, but were stopped.  Although a very disappointing loss, it was a hard-fought, well-played game by Good Counsel.  Hopefully, GC will get another shot at DM in the WCAC playoffs.

GC was off to a quick start with a couple of first downs, but fumbled it away in McNamara territory.  Troy Gloster batted down the Mustangs third down pass and GC got the ball back on the punt.  EJ Scott returned the punt to the McNamara 40, with the help of a bone-jarring block by Mike Nittoli.  The Mustangs were trying to time the snap count but guessed wrong, resulting in two offside penalties.     GC got an outstanding break when Nittoli scooped up a fumble and advanced it down to the 4-yard line.  The Mustangs defensive line budged very little on three straight runs and left the Falcons with a decision.  GC made the right choice, as Wes Brown punched it in for the touchdown on a 4^th and goal from the 2-yard line, giving GC the 7-0 lead.  Troy Gloster blindsided the Mustangs QB on third down, forcing another McNamara punt.

In the second quarter, Good Counsel had some missed opportunities.  AJ Bowman forced a fumble deep in the backfield, but a McNamara back was able to pick up the fumble and advance it for a first down.  The Mustangs were driving and threatening to tie the score, when Louis Young stepped in front of the McNamara receiver and wrestled the ball away for the interception on the 5-yard line.  The McNamara defense stiffened and GC was forced to punt.  Kyle Hamby saved the day when he booted a 65-yard punt from out of the end zone to the McNamara 30-yard line.  The half ended with GC clinging on to 7-0 lead.

GC came out fired up in the second half.  The Mustangs started at their 20-yard line, following the touchback.  Thomas Kokolas tackled the ball carrier for a 5-yard loss.  On the next play, AJ Bowman was in perfect position, intercepting the pass and returning it for the touchdown.  The TD gave GC some breathing room with a 14-0 lead.  The Falcons forced a punt on the Mustangs next possession.  Looking to blow the game wide open, GC drove the ball deep into McNamara territory, but did not score.  On the next possession, following another Mustangs punt, Wes Brown found a hole on the right side and was off to the races for a 49-yard TD run.  GC now had a comfortable 21-0 lead with 9 minutes left in the game.  McNamara wanted to get on the board, but Louis Young had other plans as he followed his QB sack on a corner blitz with an interception.  The Falcons did not capitalize on the turnover, however, and McNamara was able to avoid the shutout on their last drive of the game with a long TD pass.  Good Counsel now has a 5-0 record following a hard-fought 21-7 win at Bishop McNamara.

Good Counsel got on the board quickly, scoring on their first possession.  Wes Brown and Mike Nittoli gained yardage on the ground, behind solid blocking by the offensive line.   But it was on a quick pass that the Falcons scored, when Zach Dancel hit EJ Scott, who faked his way into the end zone with some excellent running for a 21-yard TD.  Kyle Hamby was perfect kicking for the game in less than stellar conditions and the extra point gave GC the 7-0 lead.   On their first possession, OConnell  had some success running, but fumbled the snap and Luke Hodgekiss recovered.  GC returned the favor, fumbling the ball back to the Knights.  A cornerback blitz by Louis Young resulted in a loss and the Knights were forced to punt.  Wes Brown went to work.  Brown led the Falcons with 148 rushing on the day, and had a big gainer down to the 3-yard line.  On the next play, Brown followed a block by Mike Jefferson into the end zone.  GC led 14-0.  The Falcons defense forced another punt giving the offense excellent field position at the Knights 45.  On this drive, the key plays were a Dancel to Scott pass over the middle for 13 yards and a tough run by Nittoli down to the 3-yard line.  Jefferson again threw a key block, and Brown sprung to the outside and got into the end zone with a diving reach.  GC took a 21-0 lead into halftime, as a Frank Tamakloe and AJ Bowman tackle for a loss stopped the Knights drive.
OConnell started the second half running effectively but fumbled, again recovered by Hodgekiss.  This time, the Falcons would capitalize.  Stefon Diggs and Sean Sutton were gaining yards on the ground and Dancel hit Josh Warner on an inside slant for a 12-yard gain and a first down.  On a third and eight from the 12-yard line, Nittoli scored his first TD of the day on a run up the middle.  GC led 28-0.  Nittoli struck again on the Falcons next possession, this time on a long 76-yard TD run and a 35-0 lead.  Despite two key stops by Joe Kerner, the Knights were able to score before time expired, and the rainy game ended with GC winning 35-8.

The action was fast and furious from the opening kickoff.  Gilman had the ball first and Quarterback Darius Jennings set the tempo by breaking a couple of long runs, taking the Greyhounds into GC territory.  But the Falcons got a key turnover, when Dominick Mitchell scooped up a fumble and returned it all the way down to the Gilman 35-yard line.  Zach Dancel rolled out and waved to Louis Young to go down the sideline and hit him there with an excellent pass over the defender, putting GC on the 4-yard line.  Wes Brown took it in for the 4-yard TD and GC led 7-0.  Kyle Hamby had a perfect night kicking (7 for 7 on extra points).   Gilman was very effective running the ball, but GC’s defense held in the red zone and the Greyhounds got on the board with a 32-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.   That’s when the real fun began.  On the ensuing kickoff, Stefon Diggs found a seam and sprinted 86-yards for an electrifying touchdown.  GC led 14-3.  Gilman answered by taking the ball right back down the field for a TD , cutting the lead to 14-10.  Then, the unthinkable happened.  Gilman again kicked off to Diggs, this time he took it to the house with an exciting 96-yard TD run back and a 21-10 lead.  Gilman kept GC in reach with another touchdown and 2-point conversion, and got within 3 points, 21-18.  That was as close as they would get.  On the Falcons next play from scrimmage, Dancel hit Young in stride racing down the sideline for a 71-yard TD pass and a 28-18 lead.  On GC’s next possession, Dancel hit EJ Scott with a short pass and Scott spun to the outside turning a short gain into a long one, with some excellent running after the catch.  He didn’t quite get it in the end zone, and with the clock running down and no time outs left in the half, Dancel snuck it in for the TD with 9 seconds left.   GC led at halftime 35-18, which normally would seem like a comfortable lead, but no one was relaxing knowing the explosiveness of Gilman’s offense.
On the Greyhounds first possession of the second half, the Falcons seemingly had them stopped with two fourth and long situations, but Gilman converted on both and cut the lead to 35-25 with 2:48 remaining in the 3rd quarter.  GC ran successfully on their next drive, led by Brown, Diggs, and Mike Nittoli.  Diggs took it in for his third TD of the night from 11-yards out.   GC led 42-25, but plenty of time left, 10:40.  On the first play from scrimmage for Gilman, QB Jennings ran 83-yards for the touchdown, cutting the lead to 42-31.  The next drive was crucial as GC ran some 4 minutes off the clock, ending with a perfect 35-yard TD pass in the end zone from Dancel to Scott, resulting in a 49-31 lead with 6:41 left in the game.  Gilman was not letting up and scored again with 4:31 left to make it 49-37, as GC stopped the 2-point conversion attempt.  With the clock running down, Gilman decided to gamble with an onside kick.  Mike Jefferson smothered the kick and the Falcon side of the stadium breathed a collective sigh of relief.  GC was able to run the clock out, bringing an end to a very exciting, action-packed football game.   

Good Counsel started the game with excellent field position as Stefon Diggs returned the opening kick to the 46-yard line.  A couple of runs by Sean Sutton and a Zach Dancel completion to Louis Young put GC at the Gaels’ 11.  Mike Nittoli busted in to the end zone from there and the Falcons led 7-0.  The GC defense gave MSJ no room to run, got the ball back and was on the move.  A fumble gave the ball back to the Gaels, but the Falcons held again and got the ball back on the 37-yard line.  Sutton found running room into MSJ territory.  Dancel hit tight end Vince Croce over the middle, and he dragged defenders down to the 32.   Wes Brown finished the drive off with a shifty 6-yard TD run and GC led 14-0.  On GC’s next possession, a long screen pass to Diggs and an 11-yard touchdown run by Brown were the highlights.  The Falcons took advantage of AJ Bowman's recovery of a Gaels’ fumble with Nittoli scoring from 14 yards out for a 28-0 lead.

The Falcons kept the heat on in the second half.  Fine blocking led to big runs by Diggs and Brown, with Nittoli scoring from 2 yards out for a 35-0 lead.  Then, following a scramble for a first down by Nick Gorman, Sutton finished up the scoring with a 5-yard run for a final score of 42-0.  GC can’t celebrate too long, as it is a short week of preparation for their next test, a Thursday night home game against Gilman.

It was a beautiful evening for football. The heat of the day was gone. The people at Valhalla were very friendly. The mountains and the full moon were in view. Friday Night Lights, California style. A special kind of excitement in the air, as no one knew what to expect from the East Coast versus West Coast matchup. The Good Counsel defense set the tone early, pressuring Valhalla’s star quarterback Pete Thomas and stopping Valhalla on their first possession. The Falcons offense quickly got on the board, scoring on their first possession. Runs by Mike Nittoli and Wes Brown took GC down near the Valhalla goal line and Zach Dancel snuck it in for the score. GC led 7-0 with 3:39 left in the first quarter. Valhalla answered in the second quarter, taking advantage of excellent field position. Thomas kept it on the option play, scoring from 4 yards out, making it a 7-7 game with 5:21 left in the half. Valhalla was on the move again before halftime, but Al Thompson intercepted the deflected pass, stopping the drive. The half ended with the score tied 7-7. After stopping GC to begin the second half, Valhalla drove the ball deep into Falcons territory. Even though Thomas Kokolas had a big sack and AJ Bowman and Troy Gloster were applying constant pressure, Valhalla’s QB was evasive and able to make enough plays to keep the drive going. The Falcons’ defense stiffened when Valhalla got into the red zone and forced them to settle for a 36-yard FG. Valhalla led 10-7 with four minutes left in the 3rd quarter. GC increased their focus, putting together an effective drive, capped off by a 25 yard TD run up the middle by Mike Nittoli. GC led 13-10. The Falcons defense dialed up the pressure on Valhalla’s Thomas, and Louis Young had a tremendous interception return down to the Valhalla 10. GC didn’t capitalize on the turnover, fumbling on the next snap, but the ball was deep in Valhalla territory as the 3rd quarter ended. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Valhalla setup a screen play, but Joe Rosenblatt read it and stepped in front for the interception, taking it in for the touchdown from 12 yards out. Dancel tossed it to Mike Jefferson for the 2-point conversion. This was a key sequence, as GC broke open a close game to take a 21-10 lead. On the next possession for Valhalla, Chris Pitsenberger had a sack for a big loss, forcing a punt. Wes Brown put the game out of reach with 5 minutes left, scoring on a 29 yd TD run, giving GC a 28-10 lead. Valhalla scored a touchdown as the clock ran out and the game ended with GC victorious 28-16. GC’s next game is a little closer (Baltimore) against Mount St. Joseph, but this game was definitely worth the trip.

The Junior Varsity Falcons rebounded from last week, defeating PVI 27-12 on a rainy afternoon.  GC started slowly as PVI scored on their opening possession to take 6-0 lead.  The rest of the 1^st and 2^nd quarters were spent trading field position until PVI was faced with a 3^rd and long situation.  An underthrown pass was intercepted by Nate Betts who raced 60 yards into the end zone for GC’s first score of the game.  The extra point by Chris White was good to give the Falcons a 7-6 lead.  An interception by Ryan Marshall stopped the next PVI drive and the Falcons held a 1 point lead at halftime.  GC struck quickly to open the 2^nd half, as Troy Marshall took the kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown, giving GC a 13-6 lead.  On PVI’s first play from scrimmage, Drew Steffanelli intercepted the pass at the 38 yard line and ran it in for the score.  The extra point extended the lead to 20-6.  On their next possession, PVI drove to the GC 34 before Ryan Marshall came up with his 2^nd interception of the day to end the drive.  GC marched down the field ending the drive with a 23 yard touchdown run by Aaron Wells.  The extra point gave the Falcons their final score of the day to extend the lead to 27-6.

The JV Falcons won their conference opener against Bishop McNamara 21-6.  The offense took the opening drive down the field and a nice 15 yard pass from Ryan Yamada to Drew Steffanelli set up a 25 yard touchdown run by Aaron Wells.  The extra point by Chris White gave the Falcons a 7-0 lead.  The second quarter opened with McNamara driving down to the GC 14 yard line and threatening to score.  However, big defensive plays by John Warfield and Sam Givens pushed the Mustangs back to the 26 yard line and the ball was turned over to GC on downs.  As the half was coming to an end, nice runs by Steffanelli and Wells set up a 25 pass from Yamada to Ryan Marshall.  Two plays later Yamada again found Marshall for a 15 yard TD and the extra point made the halftime score 14-0.  McNamara’s opening drive of the 2^nd half was halted by an interception by Troy Marshall.  GC could not capitalize and the Mustangs scored on a turnover to make the score 14-6.  After trading punts GC faced 4^th down from their own 44 yard line.  Yamada connected with R. Marshall again for a 56 yard TD to seal the win for the Falcons.

The JV Falcons hung on for their first win of the season, defeating Gilman of Baltimore 34-29.  The Falcons started strong taking the opening drive down to the Gilman 1 yard line, but could not score.  After forcing Gilman to punt the Falcons drove down the field again ending with a touchdown run by Troy Marshall (extra point good by Chris White) to give GC the lead 7-0.  On Gilman’s next possession a third down sack by Sam Givens and John Warfield forced a punt which was returned by Aaron Wells for a 65 yard TD providing GC with a 14-0 lead.  Gilman was able to score late in the second quarter to make the score 14-7.  With one minute remaining, Troy Marshall took the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown to provide GC with a 21-7 halftime lead.  The Falcons again started strong in the 3^rd quarter forcing a Gilman punt.  On 4^th down, a 16 yard completion from Ryan Yamada to Ryan Marshall led to a 35 yard TD run by Wells to stretch the lead to 28-7.  Gilman scored on their next possession to cut the lead to 28-15.  The attempted onside kick was picked up by Wells and returned 50 yards for a TD to give GC their final score of the day.  The defense, led by Drew Steffanelli, and special teams play of Chris Miller and Bobby Hitte, ensured the Falcon victory in the final minutes of the game.

The JV Falcons opened the season with a tough loss to Mount St. Joseph. The Falcons scored in the 2^nd quarter on a 49 yard touchdown pass from Ryan Yamada to Ryan Mitchell.  The PAT by Chris White was good.   A 10 yard touchdown run by Aaron Wells and the 2 point conversion on a pass from Yamada to Mitchell concluded the scoring for the Falcons.

The Freshman Falcons established the run on their first possession, driving down the field with Dorian O’Daniel and Cole Atkinson leading the way.  Atkinson finished off the drive, getting into the end zone with a determined second effort.  Whites Marshall connected with CJ Jones for the 2-point conversion, giving GC the 8-0 lead.  Gonzaga got into the red zone on their first possession, but Spencer Neff came up with two sacks and the defense stopped the Eagles.  Taking over on the 19-yard line, the Falcons stayed with the ground game, relying on O’Daniel and tough running by Michael McGraw.  It looked like O’Daniel had a touchdown as he dove for the pylon after a long run, but had to wait until the next play for the TD run and a 14-0 lead.   CJ Jones made a touchdown-saving tackle on the kickoff return at the GC 26-yard line.  The Eagles did take advantage of the long return, cutting the lead to 14-6.  Gonzaga surprised the Falcons with an onside kick, but Will Ovington somehow wrestled the ball away in the pile to give GC the ball.  The Falcons drive stalled in the red zone and the Eagles took over on downs.  O’Daniel blew up a halfback pass play and stuffed a run with a big hit as the clock ran out on the half.

Gonzaga and Good Counsel traded punts to open the half.  The Falcons forced another punt, but the Eagles perfectly executed the fake with a pass completion to keep the drive alive.  However, Gonzaga’s drive ended at the GC 25-yard line when Jamaal Royster deflected the pass into the end zone.  The Falcons broke open the close game when Dorian O'Daniel brushed off a couple of tackles and sped into the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown run.  O’Daniel also picked up the 2-point conversion and GC led 22-6.  It was all GC from that point.  Whites Marshall hit CJ Jones with a beautiful sideline pass for a TD to make it 28-6.  Then the defense contributed with a score, when Andy Rosenblatt forced a fumble on a QB sack, which Spencer Neff recovered and took in for the touchdown and the 34-6 win. 

After forcing the Cadets to punt to open the game, the Falcons struck quickly.  On the first play, Whites Marshall hit Stefon Colbert on a slant.  Colbert broke the initial tackle and was gone for a 71-yard touchdown.  Marshall scrambled out of trouble and into the end zone for the 2-point conversion and GC led 8-0.  On the next possession, St. Johns, who was tough to run against, forced GC to punt.  The Falcons got the ball back on the 40-yard line after another defensive stop.  On a 4^th down and 8 from the SJ 33-yard line, Marshall pitched to Dorian O'Daniel, who looked like he had nowhere to run.  However, ODaniel was able to get outside the containment on the sideline, and sped down the sideline for the touchdown and a 14-0 lead.  The Cadets got on the board on their next possession with an effective drive, cutting the lead to 14-7 before halftime.

GC got the ball to start the second half, starting at the 35-yard line.  ODaniel picked up a first down on a 3^rd and 6, with a great second effort.  Cole Atkinson had a big gainer on a draw play.  From the 19-yard line, Marshall floated a pass over the defender in the end zone and CJ Jones made a beautiful leaping catch for the touchdown, giving the Falcons a 20-7 lead.  On the kickoff, the Cadets returner found an opening and was off and running, but Jones stopped him in his tracks with a huge hit.  SJ drove deep into GC territory, but fumbled.  The Falcons took advantage when Marshall hit Colbert in stride with a 47-yard touchdown pass.  ODaniel went off right tackle for the 2-point conversion, closing out the scoring 28-7.  SJ got deep into GC territory, trying to score before the clock ran out.  However, sacks by Spencer Neff and Lucas Morley pushed them back, and an interception return to the SJ 20-yard line by Jones sealed the deal.     

The Falcons played at Paul VI Catholic in Fairfax. GC opened the game with a 62 yard TD run by Dorian O'Daniel to take an early 6-0 lead. On the Falcons second possession, the offense capped a nice drive with a touchdown run by FB Cole Atkinson and took a 14 - 0 lead after Whites Marshall hit CJ Jones on the 2 point conversion. GC scored again in the 2nd quarter when Dorian ODaniel went 65 yards for his second TD of the game. Marshall made a nifty run to make the conversion and the Falcons went into half with a 22-0 lead.
 
The defense was stout all game and gave a tough Paul VI team very little all game. The defense was led by Mike McGraw at nose guard, Spencer Neff at de, and Andre Levrone at cb. The unit pitched its first shut out of the season.
 
The second half was more of the same for the Falcons offense. Lucas Morley caught an 18 yard TD pass from Marshall early in the 3rd quarter. Andre Levrone ran hard and racked up quality yards in the second half. Mike McGraw capped the scoring when he took a pitch in from the 2 yard line to make the final score 34-0. 

The Falcons traveled to Colmar Manor Park to take on DeMatha on a blustery Wednesday afternoon. GC and DeMatha both entered this game undefeated and knew it would be a grudge match. Weather was a factor in this game as the teams had to play in 25 mph winds. Good Counsel kicked off with the wind and pinned the Stags at their own 20 when Will Ovingtons kick sailed out of the end zone. The GC defense forced a DeMatha punt which sailed out of bounds at the 50 yard line. The Falcons had a nice drive going until a fumble at the Stag 25 yard line killed the drive. The teams exchanged possessions as both defenses played very well. Late in the 2nd quarter, DeMatha hit a long pass on the sideline which gave them a first down at the GC 15 yard line. Again, the Falcon defense came up big and stopped the Stags at the 8 yad line. The Falcons took over with just over a minute to play in the half. The DeMatha defense was very aggressive all game and blitzed 2 or 3 linebackers regularly. On 2nd down, Dorian ODaniel broke free on an off tackle play and sprinted 92 yards for a game changing touchdown. The extra point fell incomplete and the Falcons went into half with a 6-0 lead.
 
The Second half could not have started any better for the Falcons. Dorian ODaniel fielded the opening kick-off at the 15 yard line and dashed 85 yards on a spectacular TD run. CJ Jones made a nice catch, in the corner of the end zone, on a pass from Whites Marshall and the Falcons were in control with a 14-0 lead. The Falcon defense continued to shut down the DeMatha offense with big plays from Mike McGraw, Dorian ODaniel, Cole Atkinson, Spencer Neff, and Lucas Morley. The momentum took a big swing when the Falcons muffed a punt deep in their own territory. The Stags took over at the GC 10 yard line and punched it in on 4th down making the score 14-7. Again, both teams exchanged possessions with both defenses coming up big. GC was able to come up with a big pass play on 1st and 20. Marshall hit Stephon Colbert on a slant route to pick up 15 yards. The Stags held but this maintained positive field position for the Falcons. DeMatha had one last chance with under 2 minutes to play and the ball on their own 35 yard line. The GC defense played great and did not allow the Stag to cross mid-field which secured a 14-7 victory for the Falcons.

On Good Counsel’s first possession, Dorian ODaniel broke loose and sprinted to a 51-yard touchdown.  Whites Marshall hit CJ Jones in the end zone for the 2-point conversion and GC had a quick 8-0 lead.  Calvert Hall found it tough going on their first possession, Cole Atkinson sacked the quarterback for a loss and Harrison Long followed with an interception.  GC had the ball again in excellent field position.  Following first down runs by ODaniel and Michael McGraw, ODaniel ran it in for the TD from 7-yards out, when he busted outside and outran defenders to the pylon.  The Falcons got another 2-point conversion, when Marshall found Stefon Colbert open over the middle for a 16-0 lead.  The Cardinals had an excellent scoring opportunity in the second quarter, but Colbert stopped the drive with an interception at the goal line and a 30-yard return.  GC and Calvert Hall then traded fumbles, with Spencer Neff returning the CH fumble down to their 31-yard line.  ODaniel scored on a 12-yard run up the middle, followed by Marshall hitting Colbert on a slant for the 2-point conversion and a 24-0 lead.  On the kickoff to Calvert Hall, Jones came up with a heady play.  The CH returner found early daylight and was streaking into GC territory, but Jones was able to catch him from behind.  Instead of tackling the runner, he tackled the ball, stripping it right out of the returners grasp.  GC had the ball back and with the clock running out on the half, ODaniel found a hole on the right side and was gone for a 61-yard touchdown, his fourth of the day, and a 30-0 halftime lead.

Opening the second half, the Cardinals fumbled in their own territory, and GC took advantage.  Whites Marshall executed the option left play perfectly, pitching to CJ Jones, which Jones took in for the 24-yard touchdown run.  Marshall also kicked the extra point and GC opened a 37-0 lead.  GC converted on another turnover, when Jones intercepted a tipped pass and returned it down to the CH 11-yard line.  Andre Levrone went off right tackle for the final GC score, a 11-yard TD run.  The extra point by Marshall was good and GC led 44-0.  Calvert Hall avoided the shutout, taking advantage of a turnover deep in GC territory, ending the game with a 44-6 score. 

The Falcons traveled to Arlington to take on the Knights of OConnell. Good Counsel opened the game up with a bang when Dorian ODaniel scored on an 80 yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. Whites Marshall hit CJ Jones on a pass to convert the 2 point conversion. On OConnells first play, Stefon Colbert forced a fumble which was recovered by Michael McGraw. The Falcons drove down to the goal line behind strong running fom CJ Jones. McGraw capped the drive with a 2 yard TD run. Marshall hit Andre Levrone on a pass to make the score 16-0. The Falcons defense held the knights again and the offense went to work quickly. Dorian ODaniel took a pitch from Marshall 32 yards for his second touchdown of the day. Jones caught another pass for the 2 point conversion. The Falcons capped the scoring for the first half when ODaniel took an OConnell punt 65 yards for a touchdown and also converted the 2 point conversion to make the halftime score 32-0.
 
OConnell came out strong in the second half. After forcing a fumble near the goalline, the Knights broke loose with a 90 yard touchdown run. OConnell then attempted a successful onside kick on the ensuing kick off and took over at the Falcon 40 yard line. The Falcon defense came up big on the next play when Dorian ODaniel made a big hit on the quarterback and Spencer Neff scooped up the fumble and dashed 40 yards for a touchdown. After another successful 2 point conversion the Falcons led 40-6 in the 3rd quarter. ODaniel capped his big day with a 52 yard touchdown run and Whites Marshall kicked the extra point to make the final score 47-6.

Landon opened the game with an impressive drive and marched down to the Falcons’ 20-yard line. The Falcons defense stiffened and held the Bears. Good Counsel took possession of the ball and drove down to the Landon 10-yard line behind some hard running by Dorian ODaniel. Whites Marshall hit Stephon Colbert for a touchdown pass and the Falcons converted the 2-point conversion to take an 8 - 0 lead. The Bears again started a time consuming drive and moved the ball into Good Counsel territory before stalling. The Falcons took over with under 2 minutes in the half and quickly struck on a long run by Dorian ODaniel to take a 14-0 lead at halftime.

The Falcons opened the second half with an impressive drive behind their offensive line which opened holes for the Falcon backs. Dorian ODaniel scored his second touchdown of the day on a beautiful run from midfield and Marshall hit CJ Jones on a pass for the conversion which made the score 22-0. Landon came roaring back with another impressive drive and capped it off with a touchdown to make the score 22-6. The teams exchanged possessions until the Good Counsel defense, led by Michael McGraw and Spencer Neff, made a critical stop in Falcon territory. Good Counsel drove down on their final possession utilizing inside running plays and capped the drive off with a dive to CJ Jones to make the final score 29-6.

The Freshman Falcons got the season off to a fast start, scoring on their first possession, and never looked back en route to a 26-6 victory over Mount St. Joseph.  Dorian O’Daniel had a big game, rushing for three touchdowns for GC.  His first touchdown was from just a yard out, but that followed his 70-yard run from scrimmage on the previous play.  The Falcons led 6-0 at the end of the first quarter.  When GC got the ball back in the second quarter, O’Daniel, Cole Atkinson, and Michael McGraw moved the ball down the field on the ground, but had success in the air as well.  Whites Marshall connected with Stefon Colbert for a 30 yard TD pass to give the Falcons a 12-0 halftime lead.
O’Daniel had a nice kickoff return to start the second half, giving GC excellent field position at the Gaels 48 yard line.  Fine running by O’Daniel and McGraw took the ball down to the MSJ 17.  Then a Marshall to Colbert pass gave GC a first down on the 5 yard line.  O’Daniel took it in for his second touchdown and GC led 18-0.  The Falcons defense, held the Gaels again and the third quarter ended with GC back on offense.  However, GC was forced to punt for the only time of the game, but MSJ took advantage returning it for a touchdown.  McGraw blocked the extra point, so GC’s lead was now 18-6.   McGraw was on a roll, as he took off on a 33-yard run down to the MSJ 12, and a few plays later O’Daniel took it in for the TD and 2-point conversion and a final score of GC 26 MSJ 6.