WICHITA, Kan. – Another week, another convincing win for the Friends University Falcons, this time in the form of defeating the No. 18-ranked Avila University Eagles 54-20 for the program's first win over a ranked opponent since winning 42-38 over Sterling College in 2016, who coincidentally was also ranked No. 18.
That was far from the only noteworthy accomplishment to come from this victory, as the Falcons' road-grading offensive line set the tone to rack up 528 rushing yards, the most in a single game since the 2016 season.
The 54 points also gave the Falcons 167 points for the year, their most points through the first three games of a season in the modern era.
"Our kids are playing very well right now," said Friends head coach Terry Harrison. "They have worked extremely hard to put themselves in a position to have success on the field. I'm proud to be their coach!"
After the Falcon defense got a three and out to begin the game, the offense methodically went to work and drove 84 yards in 14 plays before the drive stalled with a fumble at the Avila two-yard line.
The Falcon defense was undeterred, holding the Eagles without a yard on three plays to gain good starting field position at the Avila 40.
Quarterback K'Vonte Baker then got going with runs of 21 and 11 yards before finding the end zone from one yard out for a 6-0 lead.
Avila responded and temporarily took the lead by embarking on an 11 play, 73-yard drive capped by a two-yard touchdown throw from Eli Williams to Kendal Wooley for a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter.
The lead was short-lived, as Elias Pino, fresh off a three-score game last week at Ottawa, got free and took it to the house for a 61-yard touchdown on the second play of the Falcons' next offensive possession to immediately put Friends back on top 13-7.
The Falcons sustained the momentum as Douglas Bates blocked a punt that led to a 14-yard scoring run by Kerrion Hadnot to stretch the lead up to 20-7 at the 9:54 mark of the second quarter.
Following another three and out by the Falcon defense, Jett Cheatham starred on the next drive, catching a pass from Baker for 21 yards and then scoring the first of his three touchdowns on the night from eight yards away for a 27-7 lead that would carry into the halftime break.
The Falcons wasted no time carrying over the offensive success from the first half into the second half, as Laken Clowdus and Zach Dressler each rushed for 21 yards that set up Cheatham's second touchdown, this time a seven-yard scamper to balloon the lead up to 34-7.
Avila then got back on the board on their next drive on a four-yard scoring run by Daleshaun Coleman, but as was the case for the entirety of the night, the Falcons had the answers and marched 72 yards on eight plays to find the end zone again courtesy of Cheatham's 29 yard touchdown for his third score of the game to surge ahead 40-14 with 2:08 left in the third.
The Falcons put it on cruise control the rest of the way and got a 10-yard touchdown run by Clowdus before Pino put the final bow on the big victory with a 25-yard touchdown run with just 44 seconds left in the game.
Baker completed both of his passes to Cheatham for 54 yards while also rushing for 81 yards and a score.
In exploding for 528 rushing yards, it was a community effort for the Falcons (3-0), with Pino producing his second straight big game with 114 yards on the ground and two touchdowns for a worthy encore of his three-touchdown performance in last week's win at Ottawa University.
Clowdus finished with 90 rushing yards, followed by Dressler (89), Kaden Rigsby (83 yards) and Cheatham (57 yards) all contributing mightily to the Falcons' landmark rushing success.
The Falcon defense managed to keep Williams, a first-team All-KCAC pick last season, in check for most of the night. Williams ended up with 124 yards through the air and 52 yards on the ground but just a 2.6 yards per carry average.
Coleman led the Eagles (1-2) with 81 rushing yards and Jalen Thach caught a touchdown pass along with a team-high 34 receiving yards.
Jacoby Smith had a team-high seven tackles for a stout Falcon defensive unit and Pierre McNeal had the lone sack for either team for the Falcons.
Dennis Johnson recorded a team-high 12 stops for Avila and Terrell Valenti had two tackles for loss.
The Falcons will have another ranked opponent waiting next week when they travel to Salina, Kan. to tangle with the current No. 20-ranked Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes next Saturday (Sept. 16) for a 7 pm kickoff.
