The Union Red Hawks and Reeths-Puffer Rockets met in the season finale. The Rockets entered this game in the 39th position in Division 3, hoping that a victory over a Division 1 team could propel them into the postseason. Union was hoping to play the role of spoiler, and they did just that. A touchdown in the final minute propels the Red Hawks to a 43-42 victory.
Puffer got out to a hot start in this game, scoring the first fourteen points. Ben Veihl took to the air in the opening drive, finding Tayte Vanderleest on a 3-yard score. On their next drive, Brody Johnson powered across the goal line, extending the Rockets’ lead. With thirty-eight seconds left in the first quarter, Tommy Stevens used his legs for a 5-yard touchdown. This trimmed the Rockets’ lead in half, 14-7.
The opening drive of the second quarter saw Puffer respond with another touchdown march. They capped off a sixty-yard drive with a short pass from Veihl to Tyviea Williams. This was the first of five combined touchdowns in the second quarter.
Union would respond with a 46-yard touchdown strike from Stevens to Keaunt’e Swarn. Puffer answered on a short scoring drive, with Brody Johnson returning to the end zone from three yards out, giving the Rockets a 28-14 advantage.
On the ensuing kickoff from Enzo Pattaro, Twanyea Smith fielded the football. He weaved his way through the oncoming Rockets coverage team, racing to the end zone on an 85-yard score. A two-point conversion run by Tommy Stevens trimmed the lead to six. Puffer would extend the halftime lead back to thirteen when Veihl used his legs on a 1-yard score.
The third quarter was monumental for Union. On the opening drive, the Red Hawks took just six plays to cover 79 yards. Keaunt’e Swarn capped off the drive with a 5-yard run. After recording a defensive stop, the Red Hawks scored again. Swarn finish this 76-yard drive with a 29-yard carry. Two successful extra points by Fransisco Mendoza put Union ahead 36-35 with a quarter to go.
Three minutes remained in this game when Reeths-Puffer returned to the end zone. Brady Ross, the Rockets’ leading rusher in this game with 78 yards, propelled the Rockets back in front with an 11-yard carry. Enzo Pattaro’s extra point gave Puffer a six-point edge.
Looking for an answer, the Red Hawks began on their own 48 yard line. Moving down the field with chunk plays, Union advanced 42 yards in six plays. As the clock dipped below a minute, Tommy Stevens delivered. He found an open Keaunt’e Swarn, who hauled in the 10-yard touchdown. The game was tied, and Head Coach Don Fellows sent out Francisco Mendoza for the go-ahead extra point. For the fifth time in as many tries, Mendoza buried the point after. This gave the Red Hawks a 43-42 lead they would hold over the final 58 seconds.
It was a fantastic return to the playing field for Tommy Stevens. The Union signal caller was 14/21 passing for 190 yards and two scores. Stevens also rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown. Keaunt’e Swarn had four total touchdowns and 143 yards, 87 rushing and 56 receiving. Twanyea Smith added 86 receiving yards to his kickoff return touchdown.
Puffer saw Ben Veihl complete 11/16 passes for 184 yards. Brady Ross paced the running backs with 78 yards for the Rockets, while Tayte Vanderleest was the top pass catcher with 69 yards.
With this victory, Union finishes the year at 4-5. The four wins this year are the most for the program since 2002, when they were 5-4. In fact, Union won as many games this season as they had in their previous 87 games dating back to 2011 (4-83).
