Queens Falcons Shutout By Brooklyn Skyhawks, 24-0

The Queens Falcons intermediate travel team — ages 15 through 16 — was blanked by the Brooklyn Skyhawks, 24-0, over the weekend at the Parade Grounds in Flatbush.

The loss ended the Falcons' postseason after posting a 6-5 record during the regular season. It was the third time Brooklyn had defeated Queens this year.

The Skyhawks broke through, scoring on an early touchdown rush, followed by a successful two-point conversion that gave them an 8-0 advantage in the first quarter.

Brooklyn increased its lead to 16-0 with a touchdown strike, followed by the Skyhawks' running it in for the extra two points in the second period.

With the game still in reach in the first half, the Falcons thought they had scored a touchdown on a long run. In a heartbreaking reveresal, the referee called a holding penalty on the play, negating the score.

Costly mistakes — fumbles and penalties — plagued the Falcons all day long, preventing the team from establishing any offensive rhythm.

Both squads played to a third period stalemate, with the Falcon's working their way down the field all the way to their opponents one-yard line before coughing up a costly fumble that Brooklyn was able to recover.

The took the ball down the field for several minutes. Eventually, the Skyhawks posted another touchdown on a dazzling flea-flicker and two point conversion, capping the scoring at 24-0.

Head coach Tim Cavanaugh acknowledged the fact that the Skyhawks outperformed his team, but he said the Falcons ultimately beat themselves.

"They're a great team — well coached, and they outplayed us, and out hit us," Cavanaugh said. "But we beat ourselves today — turnovers and penalties."

While winning is always nice, Cavanaugh said having his players to go on to bigger and better things is the ultimate goal of the Queens Falcons, also known as the Forest Hills Football League, which has been existence since 1957.

"At the end of the day, our greatest success is the number of kids that go into prep schools, he said. "This is just a step for some of these guys."