Published: November 06, 2009 11:09 pm      

Falcons soar to first sectional title

Score in final seconds downs Bremen

BENTON, Ind — Fairfield accomplished the seemingly impossible Friday night, scoring with five seconds left to win its first-even sectional football championship.

Derek Vogelzang’s extra point provided the winning point of margin in the 28-27 win over Bremen for a Class 2A sectional title at Fairfield.

The Falcons will play a regional game next Friday at Rensselaer.

Fairfield’s hopes seemed to slip away when Cody Barrier of the Lions intercepted a Falcon pass and ran it back 30 yards for a touchdown with 1:16 left, putting Bremen up 27-21.

The Lions missed their extra-point attempt and that would prove decisive.

Bremen’s kickoff went into the end zone, putting the Falcons at their own 20.

The Falcons then rallied around quarterback Chase Pinion who led the team on its winning 80-yard drive in 1:11.

Pinion threw a 13-yard pass to Tanner Foust in the corner of the end zone for the tie.

Vogelzang’s kick then split the uprights for the win.

Fairfield had nearly scored the winning touchdown on the previous down with the same play to Foust, but a Bremen defender disrupted it just enough for the breakup.

Falcon offensive coordinator Zach Worthman called the same play again and was prepared to call it a third time if needed.

“They had single coverage on that side,” Worthman said. “I’ll take my chances any time with Tanner in single coverage.”

Pinion was 6-of-12 passing on the final drive.

The Falcons had trailed at halftime, 14-7, but tied the game in the third quarter on a 91-yard pass play from Pinion to Foust.

Fairfield then went ahead 21-14 in the fourth quarter when Doug Beiler returned a Bremen fumble 73 yards for the score.

The Lions came back to tie it 21-21 on the drive just before their interception to take the lead.