WICHITA, Kan. —The No. 7-ranked Friends University Falcons used 21 unanswered points in the second half to pull away for a 42-14 victory over the Tabor College Bluejays tonight (Sept. 19) at Adair-Austin Stadium.
The Falcons scored on all five red-zone trips, with that production including 12-play, 75-yard and 10-play, 90-yard touchdown drives.
Friends did its scoring on the ground in the first quarter, with
E'derian Sykes finishing the opening possession with an 8-yard touchdown run and
Michael Lopez later breaking a 39-yard scoring run. The defense kept Tabor off the board, including a fourth-down stop at the Falcons' 29 to halt an 11-play drive
In the second quarter, the Falcons responded to the Bluejays getting on the board with a 12-play, 75-yard drive, capped by
Nick Cordova's 2-yard touchdown run and
Connor Tillman's extra point to make it 21-7. Tabor quickly found the end zone again on Holden Kee's 40-yard run on 4th and 2 with 47 seconds left to come within 21-14 at the half.
To open the third quarter, the Falcons put together a 7-play, 31-yard scoring drive, capped by Sykes' 5-yard touchdown run. Tabor answered with a 17-play drive into Falcons territory that included a pair of fourth down conversions, but the Falcons kept it out of the end zone and took over on downs at their 26 with the score still 28-14.
After an approximate 45 minute lighting delay that began with 55 seconds left in the third quarter, Cordova converted third-and-4 with a 9-yard run to the 41 on the Falcons' next possession. A 36-yard rush by
Elon Conley and then a 14-yard burst from Sykes continued to fuel an eight-play 74 yard drive that Lopez capped with a one-yard score to give the Falcons a commanding 35-14 lead.
The Falcons then embarked another methodical drive, this time a 10-play, 75-yard drive that helped put the fourth quarter away that saw
Evan Cantu finish it on a 1-yard touchdown at 4:46 to create the final score of 42-14. After giving up a couple touchdowns in the first half, the Falcon defense honed in and forced punts on Tabor's two fourth-quarter possessions following the fourth-quarter stand in the third quarter.
Cordova finished with a team-high 116 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries for Friends. Conley had 87 yards on the ground and Sykes rushed for 80 yards with two touchdowns on 12 carries. Lopez scored twice on the ground while totaling 68 rushing yards on five carries, adding a 21-yard reception and a 34-yard punt return.
Cooper Skrobecki led the Falcons defensively with nine tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage.
Tyson Wallace added eight tackles for Friends.
"They were challenging us to run between the tackles and we did a great job of blocking," said Friends football head coach
Terry Harrison. "When we came out of the lightning delay our guys did a great job responding and adjusting in the locker room."
Jerome Stewart passed for 111 yards, while Tyson Dozhier caught six passes for 83 yards and Grady Gebhardt rushed for 84 yards on 12 carries for the Bluejays, who dropped to 1-3 with the loss.
Cesar Hinojos recorded 11 tackles to lead Tabor defensively.
The Falcons will next go on the road for a challenge at No. 17-ranked Evangel University. Kickoff next Saturday (Sept. 26) in Springfield, Mo. is set for 6 pm. Evangel fell for the first time earlier today, 40-14 at No. 18-ranked McPherson College.
