Tompkins backfield duo has been special for multiple seasons.

Wyatt Young and Caleb Blocker have combined to lead the Falcons to wins for multiple years and this year has been special for the two of them.

Young and Blocker had Tompkins on a roll and winners of six straight and the two had more goals in mind, but despite fantastic days from both of them in the bi-district round, the Falcons (7-4) came up just short of a very strong Ridge Point (9-2) team at Hall Stadium on Friday, falling 49-44 as Tompkins season came to an end.

Young 173 yards rushing and 157 yards passing and scored all six of Tompkins touchdowns on the night while Blocker ran for 180 yards on 23 attempts to keep the Falcons in it until the end.

“It’s been crazy, we’ve just been right there with each other since sophomore year,” Young said. “I love that dude to death, he’s one of the best running backs I’ve ever seen play and our bond is unlike any other I’ve had. It’s special.”

Tompkins offense was off and running from the start. The Falcons moved the ball down the field on their first drive and it culminated in a 13-yard touchdown run by Wyatt Young, but Ridge Point quickly answered back, getting a couple of chunk plays in the passing game before tying it on a six-yard run from Wesley Drummer. 

The two teams traded scores all first half. Young scored again on a 23-yard run before Austin Carlisle ran in a touchdown for Ridge Point from 14-yards out. Young scored his third of the half on a 18-yard run in the second quarter but again Ridge Point tied it on a 13-yard run from Drummer. But Tompkins took a last minute drive down the field and took the lead heading into half when William Duncan nailed a 41-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter.

“We went in the first half and we talked about finishing it,” said Tompkins head coach Todd McVey. “We weren’t able to do that but I’m so proud of these guys. They’ve done all the hard stuff. They fought through offseason, they’ve grown all through the year and just to see them apply everything on the field was so cool. The whole sideline was so fired up and I’m just proud of these guys.”

But the game turned Ridge Point’s way after half. The Panthers took the lead on the first play of the half on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Carlisle to Ashton Bethel-Roman. Tompkins drove down the field and had a chance to retake the lead, but a fourth down attempt came up a yard short and Ridge Point took advantage by doubling their lead on a 1-yard touchdown run, and after a Tompkins punt, Ridge Point went up by 19 on another touchdown.

Tompkins immediately answered back with a 52-yard touchdown pass from Young to Jhase McMillan, but Ridge Point continued to have a response at every turn, with Bethel throwing a touchdown to Bethel-Roman for the second time of the night.

The Falcons tried to come back and nearly did. Young threw a five yard touchdown to Adebisi Bello and after Tompkins came up with an onside attempt, Young broke off a 57-yard touchdown run. But Ridge Point’s offense did what it needed to do, draining the clock and moving the ball downfield to seal the game and keep the Tompkins offense from getting another chance.

“Coach McVey instills in every single player in this program that you never give up or accept a result from the moment you get here as a freshman and that’s what we showed tonight and we almost came back.” Young said. “It’s a credit to those guys for what they put into everyone who comes into the program because the guys never stopped fighting. We just ran out of time.”

While Young, Blocker and other seniors time with the program is done, their impact will still be felt with what they passed on to the younger players as the Falcons have new senior leaders rise up. That’s something that is not forgotten to the coaching staff and especially to McVey.
“I can’t say enough about the senior class,” McVey said. “All of them were so special and they all stepped up. I’m just super proud of every second of work these guys put in for us and the legacy they’re leaving behind. They upheld the crimson line standard and now it’s up to the next guys to continue to do that.”

Ridge Point 49, Tompkins 44

First quarter

T: Wyatt Young 13 run (William Duncan kick) 8:06

RP: Wesley Drummer 6 run (Brettson Booker kick) 6:19

T: Young 23 run (Duncan kick) 3:00

Second quarter

RP: Austin Carlisle 14 run (Booker kick) 11:06

T: Young 18 run (Duncan kick) 5:46

RP: Drummer 13 run (Booker kick) 0:38

T: Duncan 41 field goal, 0:00

Third quarter

RP: Carlisle 60 pass to Ashton Bethel-Roman (Hayden Wiley run) 11:46

RP: Quincy Drummer 1 run (Booker kick) 1:36

RP: Carlisle 9 pass to Wesley Drummer (Booker kick) 0:00

Fourth quarter

T: Young 52 pass to Jhase McMillan (Duncan kick) 11:36

RP: Carlisle 30 pass to Bethel-Roman, 10:40

T: Young 5 pass to Adebisi Bello, 7:28

T: Young 57 run (Duncan kick) 7:17

Team stats

Individual Statistics

Rushing – Tompkins: Caleb Blocker, 23-180; Wyatt Young, 16-173-4; Jhase McMillan, 1-32; Ridge Point: Austin Carlisle, 11-83-1; Quincy Drummer, 13-56-1; Wesley Drummer, 10-47-2

Passing – Tompkins: Wyatt Young, 12-12-157-2-0; Ridge Point: Austin Carlisle, 19-24-304-3-0;

Receiving – Tompkins: Jhase McMillan, 1-52-1; Dante Johnson, 1-37; Adebisi Bello, 3-30-1; Caleb Blocker, 3-22; KJ Madison, 2-11; Dylan Rodriguez, 2-5; Ridge Point: Ashton Bethel-Roman, 5-115-2; Nick Thomas, 4-46; Hayden Wiley, 1-44; Dane Jones, 5-36; Wesley Drummer, 1-9-1; Mitch McIntrye, 1-3; Quincy Drummer, 1-1;