Ottawa, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons racked up 482 yards, all on the ground, in routing the Ottawa University Braves 49-20 tonight (Sept. 2) in Ottawa, Kan. to start the season with two wins for the first time since 2008.

"Our kids have worked extremely hard to put a product on the field that everyone can be proud of," said second-year Friends football head coach Terry Harrison. "They are excellent ambassadors for Friends University both on and off the field."

On the first possession of the game, Jett Cheatham went to work with a 33-yard run and paid it off with an 11-yard score to put the Falcons up 7-0 just over two minutes into the contest.

The Falcon defense then stood strong and got a sack from Marco Torres on fourth and four to obtain solid field position at their own 43-yard line.

K'Vonte Baker immediately made it pay dividends with an electric 53-yard run that set up a 2-yard scoring plunge by Laken Clowdus for a 14-0 Falcon lead.

Ottawa would then get on the board and cut the Falcon lead in half when Billy Maples hit Eric McQueen for a 14-yard touchdown pass to finish off a 12-play, 75-yard drive.

The Falcons went right back to work grinding away on the ground, getting a pair of 12-yard runs by Kerrion Hadnot and then a 15-yard score from Elias Pino that put the finishing touches on a 10-play, 75-yard march to make it 20-7.

After a sack by Peyton Douglas halted Ottawa's next drive, Pino struck again with a 40-yard dash to the end zone to give the Falcons a 20-point lead of 27-7 they'd carry into the locker room.

Clowdus then rushed for 46 yards, including a 31-yard scamper on the Falcons' opening drive of the second half that was finished off with a three-yard score by Baker and a successful two-point conversion run from Kaden Rigsby to surge the lead up to 35-7.

The Braves scored on their next possession, but the Falcons responded in kind as Baker again exploded for a 33-yard run and then scored on another three-yard run to increase the lead up to 42-14.

With the lead at 42-20 in the fourth quarter following a 49-yard touchdown pass from Maples to De'Anthony Curt, Pino capped off his career night with his third score of the night, an 11-yard run with 4:28 left in the game.

Baker finished with 133 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Pino found the end zone three times with 101 yards on the ground. Cheatham rushed for 72 yards and Clowdus had 68 yards.

Maples threw for 164 yards for the Braves with two passing touchdowns and Derrick Curtis had 105 rushing yards.

Defensively, Sy Aponte led the Falcons with six tackles and Torres had a pair of sacks. Darius Diaz also had a sack, while Douglas and Shamarius Davis each had 1.5 tackles for loss.

Kyle Reynolds paced the Braves' defense with 15 tackles along with one tackle for loss.

The Falcons will next return to the friendly confines of Adair-Austin Stadium and host Avila University next Saturday evening (Sept. 9) for a 6 pm kickoff.