The Falcons are no stranger to football SPC championships, as they have won eight championships in the last 13 years.
2024 marked the third straight year the Falcons squared off against the Episcopal High School Knights in the SPC championship with the first matchup in 2022 going to the Falcons and the second matchup in 2023 going to the Knights. The season was on the line and the Falcons were motivated to defeat the Knights for the second time this season
Kinkaid started the game out with a great defensive stop to force the Knights to punt and from then on, the Falcons were in the driver’s seat. Kinkaid drove the ball down the field and capitalized on a two-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Wayne Shanks Jr. and a successful two-point conversion to give the Falcons an 8-0 lead.
Senior safety Max Roeder came up with a huge interception to get the ball back to the Falcons with momentum.
“I just tried to do my job to help us get the victory, ”Roeder said.
Episcopal ended up getting the ball back and kicked a field goal to make the score 8-3 to head to the second quarter.
Shanks started the drive with a 50-yard kick return to give the offense great field position and then put the exclamation point on the drive with his second touchdown of the game.
“The coaching staff had a great game plan going into the game and did a great job developing us throughout the season,” Shanks said.
The Falcons defense stood strong again, forcing another punt and the Falcons’ next drive consisted of more of the same. Shanks Jr. broke off a 37-yard touchdown, giving the Falcons a 22-3 lead.
The next offensive possession for the Falcons was a quick one, to say the least. Senior Cooper Chambers returned the punt 72 yards to the house to give the Falcons a 29-3 and it was only the second quarter.
Senior cornerback Isaac Ly came up with a big interception on the Knights’ next drive, forcing their third turnover of the game.
“Everyone on the team loved and cared for each other which helped us play better,” Roeder said.
Shanks led the Falcons in another touchdown drive, earning a fourth goal and giving the Falcons a 35-3 lead going into halftime.
After the half, the Falcons picked up right where they left off with Shanks scoring his single-game career high fifth touchdown and giving the Falcons a 42-3 lead.
Shanks was leading this team on the offensive side of the ball in ways reminiscent of 2022 Kinkaid alumnus and current University of Georgia wide receiver Dillion Bell.
The Falcons ended the scoring with senior quarterback David Capobianco finding senior wide receiver Jordan Manuel in the endzone, making it a dominant 49-10 Kinkaid victory.
“This championship just proves all of the hard work we put in throughout the off season and the weeks throughout the season to prepare for a big moment like this,” Shanks said. “This was not an easy thing to accomplish but when you have a strong mindset you can do anything.”
![Freshman quarterback Jordan Young scans for a wide receiver to make a play Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, during the third quarter in their game against Episcopal High School. Playing through rain, the Falcons’ game ended in a 14-6 loss in the final minutes of the fourth quarter of their second-ever game. Young states the loss “hurt, but now the team [and him] have to buckle down at practice so [they] can get the results [they] want in game.”](https://thefalcon.kinkaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-23-at-9.57.55 AM-1200x899.png)
