FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Flowery Branch football team’s bounce-back season came to an end Friday night in a place most preseason observers did not think the Falcons would be – the state playoffs.
The Falcons showed the resilience they have all season before falling 44-27 to No. 10 Ware County in the Class 4-A first round at Falcons Field.
“They fought them and fought them and fought them,” first-year Flowery Branch Coach Michael Perry said. “We just had some really tough breaks that did not go our way. Our kids, man, they’re fighters.”
Coming off three straight losing seasons, not many people thought the Falcons would be a playoff team. But the Falcons, led by their 20 seniors, believed.
“We have 20 seniors who totally bought in,” Perry said. “They are great kids. Great kids that do everything we ask and more.”
Flowery Branch (7-4) battled Ware, a perennial playoff team that won its 19th straight first-round playoff game, the entire contest.
“We went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the state of Georgia,” Perry said. “I’m proud of the way we fought.”
The Gators (9-2) kicked a field goal to end the first half and opened the second half with a touchdown to take a 27-10 lead, but the Falcons battled back.
Senior quarterback Brett Sturm scrambled away from the Gators’ pass rush, got to the sideline, and raced 64 yards for a touchdown to answer the Gators’ score.
Flowery Branch’s Ryland Garrison then blocked a Ware punt and recovered it at the Gators’ 14. Brooks Recinella’s second field goal of the game, a 20-yarder, brought the Falcons to within a touchdown.
After a Ware field goal, Sturm connected with Tre Shields for a 56-yard touchdown pass that brought the Falcons within 30-27 with 11:11 to play. The Gators’ defense got an interception at the goal line and a stop on downs to end scoring threats. Ware’s offense added two touchdowns to push the game out of reach.
Sturm completed 25-of-39 passes for 328 yards. Shields caught nine passes for 152 yards, and Tyler Robinson had eight catches for 115 yards.
Ware moves on to meet No. 1 Creekside in the second round, while the Falcons go into the offseason looking to build on what they accomplished this season.
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