Palmdale got a nice return on the punt but got hit with a blocking in the back penalty.  The Falcons passed on the first play.  It was tipped by a Hart player (I think), caught a little further downfield by a Palmdale player who then FUMBLED at the end of a short run.  Hart recovered on the 38 but turned it over on downs 6 plays later at the 31.

Palmdale marched down the field and got to the Hart 5.  On the next play, the running back got hit on the 1 and FUMBLED into the end zone.  It looked like a Hart kid had it but did wrap it up (tried to pick it up?).  The ball was jarred loose and PD recovered in the endzone for a TD.  The PAT missed and it was 6-0 Palmdale at 2:27 in the first.

Hart had a net 16 yards in the first quarter.  Palmdale had 61.  Neither team was exactly inspiring.

Hart scored midway in the second quarter on a 16-play, 80-yard drive that was helped considerably by a Palmdale facemask and late hit penalties.  The TD was on a two-yard run by Souza.  The PAT was blocked and it was 6-6 with 7:20 left in the first half.

Here's the next series which illustrates the "failure to capitalize" problem.  PalmdaleFUMBLED on first down and Hart recovered at the Palmdale 10.  The series: PENALTY -17 for holding, pass to Diamond for 10, SACK for -1, pass to Borland for -3 and then a missed 28-yard field goal attempt.

PD took over at the 20 and got to the 39 before punting.

Hart started at the 38 and with penalties etc, had no net yards and punted.

Palmdale went four and out and Hart got the ball back on a punt from the endzone.  The returner muffed the fair catch or Hart would have had a free kick.  Instead, Souza threw an INTERCEPTION to the back of the endzone as the first half clock ran out.

First half stats for Hart: Souza was 5 for 10, 19 yards and 1 interception.  He had 23 yards on 10 carries, Diamond had 12 yards on 3 carries and Stevens had 23 yards on 5 carries.  There was also a -19 team loss on the first play of the game.  Receiving: Diamond  had 3 for 18 yards, Borland had 1 for -3 and Stevens had 1 for 4 yards.

The second half was a downhill exercise for Hart.  Palmdale started at the 38 and got out to the Hart 39 where it was 3 and long.  The backup QB (a very speedy wide receiver) was flushed and ran left, then back to the right and then to the endzone for a 39-yard TD.  Palmdale 13-6 at 7:52 in the third.

Hart: 10-yard run by Stevens, -3 by Souza, 10+ yard run by Diamond but with a FUMBLE at the end.

Palmdale: 1-yard run by Jefferson followed by a 44-yard pass to a completely wide open receiver in the endzone for a TD.  Palmdale 20-6 at 5:53.

Hart: 3 and out with a sack, incomplete, sack.

Palmdale: run for 16 by Jefferson with a FUMBLE at the end.

Hart: 5 and out.

Palmdale drove from the Palmdale 37 down to the Hart 6 and then hit a field goal.  23-6 at 10:04 in the fourth.

Hart: five and out.

Palmdale started at the Hart 37 and then scored on a 32-yard run by Jefferson up the middle, basically untouched. 29-6 at 8:33.

Hart: 6 and out (two more sacks).

Palmdale 3 and out.

Hart: sack for -13, run by Stevens for 18, pass to Borland for 9 followed by an INTERCEPTION.

Palmdale ran the clock out.

Souza finished at 9 for 20, 72 yards and 2 INTs.  He had a total of 22 carries for net -8 yards and was sacked 7 times.  He had the only TD.  Diamond had 4 carries for 28 yards and a fumble.  Stevens had 10 carries for 68 yards [the bright spot of the night].  Receiving: Diamond finished with 4 for 28 yards, Cox had 1 for 19, Stevens had 2 for 22 yards and Borland had 3 for 14 yards.

The Palmdale QB was 7 of 11 for 144 yards and a TD (one of the passes may have been by the backup when the starter was out with an injury.  He also had 56 yards on 7 carries (most of that on a 39-yard TD run).

Jefferson had 26 carries for 163 yards.  He also had at 3 fumbles and possibly a fourth (on the first drive, I didn't see who caught the pass then fumbled).  A few of the carries I attributed to him at the end of the game may have been by others.

Summary: not too inspiring.  I think there's some talent there but it didn't work together too well tonight.  Go home.  Forget about it and go forward.