In a game that had all the makings of a rivalry with major playoff implications, the RAVENS led by head coach Dennis “Shor D” Wolford had much to prove against the ultra athletic and super quick FALCONS led by head coach Jason Bialek. After falling 20 – 31 to the FALCONS during week#1 of the inaugural NFL Flag season, the RAVENS showed that they had point to prove in their second meeting last night in the shadows of Cupples Stadium.

In a non sold out, but spiritedly watched game by each teams cheering sections of supporters, the RAVENS mounted a stellar first half defensive performance to hold off the FALCONS and win 19 – 13. The short handed RAVENS managed to pull off a first half shut out of 19 – 0 primarily due to the multi skilled attributes of QB/Safety Khalil Weathers and the offensive hands and shiftiness of Duston Strom. Not to be out done Alexander Hill provided outstanding second half support to hold off the fast flying FALCONS while Khalil Schaffer used his quick feet to round off a formidable ground game for the RAVENS.
 

With the 19 – 0 score looking out of reach at half time for the FALCONS, Coach Bialek pulled his troops together and managed to get them to not stop fighting and to work hard until the game was over. As a dark cloud began to roll over Cupples Stadium, vocal leadership from the lone female FALCON (Nikyla Wolford) and daughter of opposing coach Dennis “Shor D” Wolford, began to resonate in the ears of her male counter parts. The outsized, but speedy FALCONS mounted a second half comeback that put the RAVENS very much on high alert. Led by the one two punch of Anthony Stevenson and Raymond Hart, the FALCONS were able to distribute the ball into the hands of their offensive playmakers Ben Haselrig and Joey Lydon. The FALCONS working against the major competitive skills of the RAVENS defense managed to score 13 un answered points in the second half alone.

As the clocked inched down to under a minute with the FALCONS holding the ball on a 3rd and long, Coach Bialek made the gutsy call of putting the ball in the hands of Nikyla Wolford. As QB Anthony Stevenson dropped back to pass, he found Nikyla wide open towards the sideline. Making a fast moving defender miss, she blazed up the sideline only to accidentally step out of bounds before the first down marker. As the FALCONS fell to their third loss on the season, many expect a big push during the playoffs from this hard working bunch.