WICHITA, Kan. – In a high-octane postseason matchup featuring two of the top three rushing teams in the NAIA, it was the No. 19-ranked Friends University Falcons holding a decisive edge in a 47-35 victory today (Nov. 23) over the OUAZ Spirit at Adair-Austin Stadium for the program's first-ever NAIA Football Championship Series victory.
"I am so happy for the entire Friends University community," said Friends football head coach Terry Harrison. "Our young men have done a great job both on and off the field of representing the core values of our institution. It is great to see our program be able to display what Friends University is all about on a national stage."
First Quarter Dominance
The Falcons started strong, getting two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter from both Nick Cordova and Elias Pino for a 12-0 lead. Pino rushed for 23 yards on the Falcons' opening drive to set up Cordova's 12-yard score before scoring from 33 yards out on the first play following the defense stopping OUAZ on fourth and two.
OUAZ Response in the Second Quarter
OUAZ roared back in the second quarter. Quarterback Luke Giron orchestrated a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jh'dhan Lester early in the period. The team capitalized on a fumble recovery to cut into Friends' lead.
Back-and-Forth Scoring
Despite OUAZ's efforts, Friends responded with a 29-yard rushing touchdown by Pino. Giron retaliated with two quick passing touchdowns, including a 59-yard bomb to Jalien Hammer to briefly give OUAZ the lead at 21-19.
Late First Half Drama
In the final minute of the second quarter, Jett Cheatham connected with Caden Lee on a halfback pass for a 32-yard touchdown. The play capped a furious first half, sending the Falcons into the locker room with a 26-21 advantage.
Friends Extends the Lead
Friends dominated the third quarter, with Cordova adding a 1-yard touchdown run and Shamarius Davis recovering a fumble and returning it 34 yards for another score to balloon the lead up to 40-21.
OUAZ Fights Back
Refusing to fold, OUAZ's Lester scored his second touchdown of the day with a 2-yard rush early in the fourth quarter.
K'Vonte Baker Shuts the Door
Leading 40-28 with just over five minutes remaining, K'Vonte Baker, the 2023 KCAC Offensive Player of the Year and the 2024 Co-Offensive Player of the Year, burst through the line with a physical 32-yard touchdown run to effectively close out OUAZ (8-2).
Key Performers
Baker rumbled for 179 yards with a touchdown, while Pino had 115 yards and two scores before having to leave the game late in the second quarter due to an injury. Treylan Gross had 80 yards on the ground for the Falcons. Giron threw for 396 yards and four touchdowns for OUAZ, while Jailien Hammer had seven catches for 120 yards.
Defense Makes an Impact
Friends' defense shone, forcing two fumbles and recording eight sacks. Davis was a standout, scoring a defensive touchdown. Andrew Arnold also had a strip sack and Demarieo Simms had two sacks and Barrett Roads recorded 1.5 sacks. Brock Zerger and Cooper Skrobecki each had a team-high eight tackles and Kasey Lehman was a force in the secondary with three pass breakups. Nolan Ewing also had seven stops for Friends.
For OUAZ, Tyler Faber blocked a PAT and snagged an interception, with Isiah Cotton and Justine Sosnicki each registering a team-leading 11 tackles.
Rushing Near a Record
The Falcons rumbled for 526 rushing yards in today's victory over OUAZ, just five yards shy of an NAIA postseason record. Friends' rushing defense was just as stout, holding the Spirit to a negative five yards rushing.
Crucial Drives and Plays
The game's momentum shifted multiple times due to long drives and explosive plays. Friends controlled the clock with over 35 minutes of possession, leveraging their running game to wear down OUAZ's defense.
Players of the Game
Baker was named the NAIA FCS First Round Offensive Player of the Game, while Davis claimed the top defensive award for the game.
First Time for Everything
After dropping their previous four games in the NAIA FCS, the Falcons broke through into the win column with the victory over OUAZ.
11 is a Natural: The Falcons are now 11-1 on the season for the program's first 11-win season in the modern-era.
Up Next
The Falcons will play at No. 2-ranked Grand View (Iowa) next Saturday Nov. 30) in the NAIA FCS second round starting at noon in Des Moines, Iowa. This will be the first meeting on record between Friends and Grand View.
