Thunderbirds blanked in opener

The Northwest Florida Falcons gave the Crestview Thunderbirds a tough introduction to the Premier Football League on Saturday.

The Falcons leaned on their veteran savvy and superior athleticism in a 21-0 win at Davidson Middle School in the season opener for both squads.

“They’re going to have their bumps just like we did when we started out,” Falcons player-owner Brian lewis said. “They played a lot better than I thought.”

Saturday was Crestview’s first game in the amateur showcase league. The Thunderbirds’ offense finished with minus-36 total yards.

The Falcons scored three times, but Crestview’s defense held them to 244 yards.

“Getting shut out is always unpleasant,” said Crestview owner/player Thomas Gordon. “But getting beat 21-0 isn’t a total embarrassment. They’re a seasoned team.”

The Falcons turned a big play into a score in each of the first three quarters.

Crestview forced a pair of fumbles and intercepted two passes deep in its own territory. The Thunderbirds forced 10 punts.