"I was really thinking we were going to come out with a couple of touchdowns," said Cefaratti. "I thought we were going to come back and pull this thing out."

While Cefaratti had reason to be optimistic, Bemis was making an adjustment of his own.

"I decided to add more girth," Bemis said, while noting he made a change in the blocking scheme in Farmington’s run offense. "I put Mitch (Alves) and (Brandon) Postl in at guards."

The result was equal parts success for Farmington and frustration for St. Paul as the visiting Indians (6-3) blew up the St. Paul (3-5) defense with a 164-yard third-period performance and scored 20 points en route to a 34-0 shellacking of the Falcons.

St. Paul had problems fielding Farmington kicker Sean Garvey’s first two kickoffs in the game as the strong-legged Garvey, with the wind at his back, saw his kickoffs sail over the St. Paul deep backs.

The results were that SPGT started its first two possessions at its own 4- and 18-yard lines. Both times, the snarling Farmington defense, which allowed only 102 yards in the game and intercepted four of St. Paul quarterback Rob Swanke’s throws, forced punts, and Farmington took over at SPGT’s 44- and 39-yard lines.

Both times, Nick Bliss capped the short drives with touchdown runs, of 9- and 6- yards, and Farmington led 14-0 just 8:27 in, but the teams played to a standoff for the remainder of the first half.

"First half, we didn’t get the breaks on those two kickoffs," Cefaratti pointed out. "Take the two touchdowns in the first quarter away and we’re 0-0 coming out of halftime."

On Farmington’s second possession of the third quarter, Steve Harrington hit Jermaine Baskerville with a slant pattern. Baskerville caught the ball and had nothing but green sod between he and the goal posts. The touchdown was good for 53-yards.

"That was the backbreaker," Cefaratti said, and Farmington’s defense, employing a killer instinct, ended both of St. Paul’s next two drives with Brandon Parenteau interceptions, and both times Bliss (22 carries, 174 yards, 4 touchdowns) converted scores, making it 34-0.

"It’s not all the defensive backs," Bemis said of Parenteau’s interceptions (Garvey also had 2). "The pressure on the quarterback had a lot to do with it, and we had a lot of pressure on him for most of the game."

"You have to (give credit) to the whole (defensive) front line," Bemis continued of his defensive unit which forced Swanke into a 2-for-20 passing day. "(Tackles) Ryan Martin, Mitch (Alves) (and ends) Jermaine (Baskerville) and (Adam) Golab. There were a lot of guys in there."

Nelson Huertas (6 carries, 45 yards) and Juan Hernandez (11, 38) were the best offensive weapons for SPGT, while special teams gave Farmington fits.

Luis Rodriguez blocked a Garvey punt in the first half, Brent Seaver blocked an extra point in the third, and Garvey dropped back for two punts in the fourth, but never punted.

On his first attempt, the snap was very high, and his scramble came up short. On his second attempt, the snap was low, and Garvey had to drop to a knee to field the ball, the officials promptly ruled him down.

"There’s absolutely no excuse for that," said Bemis of his team’s season-long kicking woes.