KCAC

[Football] Falcons' Rally Falls Just Short in Home Opener vs. Avila

WICHITA, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons charged back from a 20-point deficit in the first half to come within a two-point conversion of tying the score, but came up just short in a 37-35 setback in their home opener tonight (Sept. 26) to the Avila University Eagles at Adair-Austin Stadium.After the Falcons stiffened up and held Avila on fourth down on the 17th play of the drive, the offense took over at their own 28 yard line with 1:14 left with a chance to tie with a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion.The Falcons got the first part of that necessary sequence when quarterback Dan Dawdy (SR/Haysville, Kan.) twice connected with Tyler English (SR/Dallas, Texas), including an 11 yard touchdown strike that made it a two-point deficit.But the Falcons couldn't quite get over the hump when a pass from Dawdy to Cade Nagy (SO/Broken Arrow, Okla. ) fell incomplete on the two-point try that allowed the Eagles to hang on for the win.The Falcons got going early with a ground and pound strategy on the first possession of the game, as Juan Salazar (SR/Vernon, Texas) gained 36 rushing yards, but the Eagles forced a fumble by Dawson Marcum (SO/Durango, Colo.) that was recovered by Nikolas Furlow at the seven yard line and returned 93 yards for the touchdown.It turned into a 20-0 lead for the Eagles late in the first quarter when Drake Damon (SR/Goddard, Kan. ) picked up a fumble on the two-point try and returned it 97 yards the other way to put the Falcons on the board with two points off their own.The Falcons then moved the ball on the ground again behind solid running from Salazar before settling for a 26-yard field goal by Bobby Schmidt (JR/Sapulpa, Okla. ) with 12:25 left in the opening half.Each team would then reach the end zone on their next two possessions, with Malik Nesbitt scoring twice for the Eagles and Salazar finding paydirt on two occasions for the Falcons that resulted in a 34-19 lead for Avila at the half.Avila took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched to the Falcon 24 yard line, but a 41-yard field goal attempt by Kaivon Mortazavi was off the mark.But on the Eagles' next drive, Mortazavi connected on a 42 yard try to extend the Eagle lead to 37-19.With 5:48 left in the third quarter, the Falcons embarked on a 15 play, 83 yard drive that featured a combined 55 rushing yards from Salazar (29) and Laken Clowdus (FR/Bartlesville, Okla. ) (26) while culminating with a four yard touchdown pass from Dawdy to Robert Maxson (SR/Stockton, Calif.) that trimmed the deficit to 11 points.The Falcons then got a turnover on the Eagles next possession and cashed in with a 30 yard field goal by Schmidt that made it a one-possession game early in the fourth quarter.Salazar gained 137 of his career-high 180 rushing yard total in the first half, along with the two scores. The 180 yards breaks Salazar's own mark for the Falcons' most rushing yards in a game since 2017. He also contributed a team-high five catches for 42 yards.Clowdus also ran for 52 yards on 13 carries for the Falcons (1-2, 1-2 KCAC).Dawdy completed 17-of-31 for 165 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for Friends.Nesbitt scored three times for the Eagles (1-1) while rushing for a team-best 108 yards. Christian Hopkins led the Eagles with 80 receiving yards, while Tristan Askan was 8-of-17 for 139 yards and one touchdown.David Akao (JR/Wichita, Kan.) led the Falcons with a career-high tying 13 tackles, with Jagger Blubaugh (SO/Wichita, Kan. ) registering 10 stops.Jamad Thomas and Ke'Tron Jones each had 13 tackles for Avila.The Falcons will next be in action Saturday evening (Oct. 3) at McPherson College. Kickoff is set for 5:30 pm in McPherson, Kan.