The locations may change, but the script and the finish remain the same year after year.

Warner came up with big plays in the final minutes to secure a 14-12 football win over Faulkton during the Lake Region Conference Classic Friday night at Dacotah Bank Stadium.

The finish was very similar to last year’s contest in Faulkton when the Monarchs pulled off a victory in the closing seconds.

“It felt like last year’s game was exactly as this year’s game,” said Warner’s Alec Mikkelsen. “We were down late, we just score right away and our defense comes up big.”

This time it was Warner’s defense that found itself in the spotlight, needing a stop as the Trojans drove inside the Warner 5-yard line. The Monarchs ended up stopping Faulkton on downs with with less than two minutes to play.

“Unbelievable goal line stand, especially because they were moving the ball on us,” said Warner coach Derek Hoellein. “For us to dig in, inside the five there, was unbelievable.”

The Monarchs trailed before Brayden Kroll fired a 42-yard pass to Beckham Cantalope that set up Warner just outside the Faulkton end zone. Kroll scored moments later with 9:02 remaining.

“We were holding on to that play for a while throughout the game, for a moment like that,” Hoellein said. “We’ve been working on that one for a bit. Obviously, a huge throw for Brayden down the middle and big catch by Cantalope.”

There was still work to be done though as Faulkton drove down the field and appeared to be on the verge of regaining the lead.

“I think we never gave up as a team. When we were down 12-7, that’s when we really dug deep,” said Mikkelsen, who had a pair of sacks on the evening. “As a defense, on that goal-line stand, everybody was just going as hard as they can. I’m really proud of our team tonight.”

While Warner held the Trojans off the scoreboard, they were forced to punt out of their own end zone after failing to pick up a first down. Mikkelsen, who already has a 50-yard field goal to his credit this season, calmly nailed a punt to midfield forcing Faulkton to have to go 40 yards with 1:16 left and no timeouts.

“It wasn’t as deep as I usually go. I usually step back 15 yards,” Mikkelsen said. “I was probably five yards away from my long snapper. I was literally probably a couple of feet from that fence (behind the end zone) right there. I just had to really unload it.”

Parker Wood then iced the win, intercepting a pass in the end zone with 22 seconds left.

The decision sent the Trojans to another frustrating defeat against Warner, who has won all of their matchups for the past decade.

“Our kids played their hearts out tonight and did a great job,” said Faulkton coach Shayne Geditz. “We didn’t play very well right out of the chute again it seems like, and then we kind of battled back and got in the mix. We just needed to make a few more plays.”

Faulkton did make some big plays in the contest, finishing with more yards than Warner.

Landon Coyle led all players with 98 yards rushing and a touchdown.

“I give everything to the linemen,” Coyle said. “They give me a hole and I use my vision and where I think is best to go, I go and just put my head down and run til I stop.”

The game was a typical Warner-Faulkton smash mouth contest with heavy hits taking place all over the field.

“They’re man fights, 100 percent,” Coyle said. “We expect a brawl every game.”

And Friday’s contest did not disappoint in that regard.

“We like to play punch for punch,” Coyle said. “When they get a big hit, we get a bit hit and try to keep rolling.”

Hoellein knew exactly the type of game his team was going to get heading into the contest.

“Credit to Shayne and his guys,” Hoellein said. “They battle us every single year, man. It’s just one of those instant classics.”

In the end, Warner made a few more plays, including a pivotal pair of extra points from Mikkelsen, while Faulkton came away empty on its PAT attempts.

“When you get beat by two points, little things really matter,” Geditz said. “Little things will add up and they’ll get you.”

And as they have the past numbers of years against Faulkton, the Monarchs came up big when it mattered most.

“Credit to our kids. They trust the coaches, they trust what they’re doing, they trust the teammates beside them, and you have to,” Hoellein said. “In those big moments you have to trust what you’re doing and when the play comes your way and you get a chance to make a play, you’ve got to make one, and we made some huge ones tonight, some huge ones.”

Faulkton (0-2) 0 6 6 0 – 12

Warner (3-0) 7 0 0 7 – 14

W – Brennan Wolf-Donat 10 pass from Brayden Kroll (Alec Mikkelsen kick).

F – Henry Bossly 1 run.

F – Landon Coyle 17 run.

W – Kroll 1 run (Mikkelsen kick).

OFFENSE: Faulkton rushing (Coyle 19-98), passing 6-10 for 136 (Bossly 6-10 for 136), receiving (Weston Senn 3-48, Korbin Stark 1-35, Max Martinmaas 1-32), first downs 11; Warner rushing (Beckham Cantalope 14-17, Jackson Bossly 2-13), passing 5-11 for 52 (Kroll 5-11 for 52), receiving (Cantalope 2-41, Wolf-Donat 1-10), first downs 3.

DEFENSE: Faulkton, Stark 8 tackles and 1 interception, Landon Dikoff 7 tackles, Foster Bode 5 tackles including 1 sack, Sean Roseland 5 tackles; Warner, Wolf-Donat 7 tackles including 1 sack, and 1 interception, Gage Knuppe 8 tackles, Mikkelsen 7 tackles including 2 sacks, Parker Wood 5 tackles and 1 interception.