District 11 Falcons

The **District 11 Falcons**are a Panem Football team based in District 11. The Falcons compete in the Panem Football League (PFL), as a member of the East Conference. The Falcons franchise have yet to win a Panem Bowl.

## Franchise history

### First 70 years

The District 11 Falcons were founded in 2714 ADD to give District 11 a PFL team and were added to the Panem Football League. Their name, the Falcon, comes from an animal native to the District 11 that helped control the pests such as mice.

The Falcons joined the Panem Football League on August 8th, 2714, and were assigned to the Eastern Conference. They are commonly known as one of the weakest teams in the league, due to their inability to win playoff games.

They've had two great seasons out of 70, both of which they made it to the Panem Bowl and lost in overtime.

### Conagher Era

The first 12 years of the Falcons were their most successful time. Under head coach Dell Conagher, the Falcons compiled 9 winning seasons, and 7 playoff berths. The first season in history for the Falcons was a mediocre 9-7, missing the playoffs by one game. The team would follow up with another mediocre season, missing the playoffs.

The third year presented the Falcons with their first playoff berth. After an impressive 10-6 record, the Falcons made the 4th seed in the playoffs, were they would play the top seeded District 0 Comets. Although the Falcons got the early 3-0 lead, this would be the only points they scored in the game, as the comets would score 17 unanswered points for a victory in the divisional round.

After two bad seasons, many fans were starting to call for Conagher to be canned. The 2719 was a lot for Dell Conagher to prove, as he needed a big turn around to keep his job. They had to play the eastern conference powerhouse, the District 14 Bulldogs. The two teams traded touchdowns, with game tied at 7-7. The Falcons opened the 3rd quarter with a touchdown drive, leading 14-7. The Bulldogs stormed back, tying the game at 14. After 2 field goals from the bulldogs, the Falcons were down 6 points with two minutes left in the 4th quarter.

Veteran Falcons quarterback Jonathan Moore led his team down to the 6 yardline. The Bulldogs' defense tightened up, and soon it was 4th and goal. Jonathan threw to his star receiver Vernon Jones, who caught the ball for the seemingly game-tying touchdown. However, the play was reviewed, and it was revealed that Vernon's foot was out of bounds, as the Falcons turned over on downs and eventually lost.

In Week 17 of the 2720 season, the Falcons need one more win to lock up the final spot in the playoffs. Playing their hated rival, the District 12 Miners, the Falcons had a 3 point lead going into the final minute of the fourth. The miners drove all the way down the field, but the Falcons defense seemingly stopped them. However, on 4th down, the Miners faked a field goal, and got a touchdown, winning the game as time expired. A brawl ensued between the heated rivals, the Falcons angry that the Miners had taken away their playoff spot.

The 2721 season was better, with rookie running back Jason McGee taking the league by storm and winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. Under his rushing power, the Falcons were able to rumble into the playoffs as the 4th seed. They played the Needlers, were they were down 21-7 at halftime. The Falcons clawed their way back into the game, eventually taking the lead 24-21. It seemed the Falcons would win after a Needler's turnover in the fourth, though a tired McGee fumbled the ball. The Needlers took possession, scoring a touchdown to put the score at 24-28. After 4 unsucessful downs on the ensuing drive, the Falcons lost another playoff game.

After going 7-9 and missing the playoffs in 2722, the "golden era" of the Falcons began in 2723. The Falcons went 10-6, where they would learn that they'd play their rival the Miners for the 3rd time that year. In a sloppy rain filled game, the Falcons booted 3 field goals in 3 quarters, leading 9-0 in the fourth. However, an explosive play from the Miners took the score to 9-7. Holding on to the slim 2 point lead, Conagher decided to kick a 55 yard field goal to put the game far out of reach. Kicker Joe Mann kicked the ball, though it was well short and became returnable by the Miners. A kick six happened, where the Miners returned the missed kick all the way to the endzone, taking the lead 9-14. The Falcons were unable to answer, and ended up with another playoff mishap.

The Falcons had a record setting season in 2724, getting a franchise-high 12 wins. Ryan Matt, a 20 year old linebacker from District 6, won defensive rookie of the year, after getting 14 sacks and 125 tackles. Behind Ryan, the Falcons defense was 3rd in the league, and expected to win them their first playoff game of franchise history. The Bulldogs would prove to be too much for the Falcons however, after they scored 24 points straight. The Falcons were only able to score 13 points, as they lost the game.

Conagher considered retirement, due to his inability to win in the playoffs. He returned for the 2725 season, breaking the franchise record for wins from last year by winning 13 games. Locking up the elusive 1 seed, the Falcons got to play the 9-7 Shockers, who almost missed the playoffs. The Falcons defeated the shockers in the divionsal round winning their first ever playoff game. They would meet the 2 seeded Bulldogs in the conference championship.

The Falcons would play the Bulldogs to a close game. Ryan Matt, the league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, played outstanding, getting 3 sacks and 12 tackles. The game would be tied 24-24 in the fourth, as overtime approached. However, the Bulldog's decided to throw the ball instead of kneel, as Ryan Matt intercepted the pass. As time expired, Matt ran the ball in for a pick six, winning the game for the Falcons as they advanced to their first ever Panem Bowl.

In Panem Bowl XI (eleven), the Falcons would play the District 1 Rams. The Falcons would score 23 unanswered points, as Ryan Matt and the defense kept the Rams off the scoreboard for the first half. In the second half though, the Rams came storming back, tying the game 23-23 late in the third. Conagher tried many of his hidden trick plays to get the Falcons points, but the savvy Rams defense shut down Conagher's trick filled offense.

Time expired, and the game still tied, it went into overtime. The Falcons would receive the ball, and after three plays, Falcons QB Aldrich Ross would through an interception. Despite Ryan Matt's efforts to keep the Rams out of the endzone with 2 sacks and 7 tackles, the Rams eventually scored a touchdown, winning them the Panem Bowl and sending the Falcons home losers in overtime.

In Conagher's final year as the Falcons coach, he took the team to 13-3. With the second seed in the playoffs, it was seen that this would be the year the Falcons got redemption in the Panem Bowl. They would meet the Bulldogs in the divisional round, where the two teams would play in a rainstorm. The Falcons would score, getting the game 13-14. However, the kicker missed the extra point, unable to tie the game. The Bulldogs would kneel the next drive, ending the Falcons hopes for returning to the Panem Bowl.

After the Super Bowl loss, Conagher was killed under mysterious circumstances. Found in the parking lot with a butterfly knife in his back, there was a big manhunt for who killed the Falcons coach. After being unable to find the killer, District 11 stopped all labor for a day to honor the memory of Conagher.

### 2725

**Final Record:**10-6 (5-3 Division)

**Division Finish:**3rd out of 8

**Awards**: Comeback player of the Year (Mathers)

#### Playoffs

 Conference Championship
 Panem Bowl

### 2754

**Final Record:**11-5 (6-2 Division)

**Division Finish:**3rd out of 8

**Awards**: Comeback player of the Year (Mathers)

#### Playoffs

 Conference Championship
 Panem Bowl