There was really only one way that was appropriate for the B&B Falcons final football season to end and that was with the school’s fifth state title. Perhaps a season of destiny and definitely a storybook ending to a school packed with athletic success the B&B Falcons flew high for one last time capturing the 8-Man Division II State title behind a 42-19 win over Sharon Springs-Wallace County.

The pursuit for the title started off rocky for the Falcons as a bad snap early in the contest resulted in a fumble recovery by the Wildcats of Wallace County on the Falcons four-yard line and they capitalized upon the turnover for an early 7-0 deficit for B&B.

Falcons were not rattled, as many of the players having played on the big stage before as the Falcons were making their sixth straight state title appearance, worked methodically down the field and quarterback, Dustin Rottinghaus tossed a 49-yard TD pass to senior, Blake Deters, making it 7-6 after the two-point conversion was unsuccessful and that was how the first quarter ended.

B&B took the lead early in the second quarter behind Rottinghaus’ second TD pass this one a nine-yard strike to Brendon Bregman, giving the Falcons the lead which they would never relinquish. Before the half the offense took flight again as Rottinghaus found Deter’s for another TD this one from 18-yards out, making it 20-7 at the half.

In the second half it was a battle back and forth by both teams but turnovers came by the Wildcats as they could not hold onto the ball fumbling five times in the game with B&B recovering all, as junior linebacker, Derek Mueting recovered four and totaled 12 tackles on defense.

Behind the Wildcat turnovers the Falcons put up three more scores in the game with Rottinghaus finding Deters again for their third TD connection, a one-yard TD run by Rottinghaus and the exclamation point score a 73-yard TD pass from Rottinghaus to senior, Cameron Haug.

Wallace County did manage a 47-yard kick return TD and late TD run in the final minute of the game.

The Falcons masterful aerial attack on offense posted 404 yards on 22-49 for Rottinghaus with five TD’s, as both Deters and Haug totaled 139 and 161 yards receiving, respectively, while the defense came up with key stops all game and recovered five fumbles in the contest leading the Falcons to the 42-19 win and State title.

With the win the Falcons won back-to-back state titles for the first time in school history for football and notched their fifth overall finishing the season 12-1 and totaling a record of 75-3 over the last six years while making the state title game each year.

The Falcons orchestrated a masterful final season sitting atop the championship perch one final time while posting eye popping numbers throughout the year. Rottinghaus finished the season with 2,666 yards passing, 51 TDs to just six interceptions, while amassing 4,477 yards passing in his career and 69 TD passes. Deters and Haug totaled 2,169 of the receiving yards this year posting 1,172 and 997, respectively on the season.

While the team posted an astonishing +41 turnover margin and had a defense that held opponents to 12.8 points per game on the season with Mueting and Cole Deters leading the charge. Mueting lead the team in tackles with 135, while Deters registered 102 and each guy had six fumble recoveries on the season.

For the B&B Falcons it’s the end of an era and historic program and school but the success of Falcon football and athletics will live on forever as the final stamp was put on a great program this year with the State title victory.