Scripps Ranch quarterback Robert Forcier has made many big plays out of the shotgun formation in his usual spot on the field.

However, two of his biggest of the season, in the Falcons' 41-21 victory over visiting Westview in a San Diego Section Division II quarterfinal Friday night came from a few yards farther back while fulfilling his duties as the team's punter.

Forcier ran for crucial first downs on fake punts on two occasions in the Falcons' win over the Wolverines.

After Westview had taken an early 6-0 lead, Brennan Clay answered with a score to give Scripps Ranch a 7-6 lead in the second quarter.

Then Forcier took the snap while in punt formation and ran for a first down. That play led to an 11-yard touchdown pass from Forcier to Jake Curran for a 14-6 lead, and the Falcons never looked back.

Scripps Ranch coach Sergio Diaz knew exactly what he was doing when he called the fake.

“We had seen something on film,” Diaz said. “We knew (Forcier) could do it.”

Coach and quarterback were on the same page of the playbook on this one, according to Forcier.

“We saw they were overloaded on one side,” he said.

The highly anticipated showdown of the county's top two passers – Forcier and Westview's Tommy Hansen – never materialized, although Forcier (26-of-36, 341 yards, two TDs, three INTs) held up his end of the bargain.

Playing from behind nearly the entire game, Hansen (18-of-47, 283 yards, two TDs, five INTs) never found a rhythm.

Neither did the rest of his team.

Despite three interceptions of his own, Forcier more than made up for it with the fake punts and even added a drive-stalling interception while pulling double-duty as a cornerback.

A quarterback playing defense gives Forcier an advantage over the average defensive back, he said.

“Being a quarterback myself, it was easy to read (Hansen's) eyes and know where he was going with the ball,” Forcier said.

The Falcons' Brennan Clay became the first player in section history to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.

Clay rushed 19 times for 188 yards and caught seven passes for 90 yards in reaching the milestone.

“Clay was unbelievable,” said Diaz before heaping more praise on Forcier. “The kid is such a competitor. He's determined to make plays on offense and defense.”