KCAC

[Football] Football Falcons fall to Avila in season finale

WICHITA, Kan. – The Avila University Eagles methodically pulled away from the Friends University Falcons in the season finale today (Nov. 13) to win 37-0 at Adair-Austin Stadium.Both teams exchanged punts to begin the game, with a four-yard tackle for loss by Kevin McKenzie (SR/Keota, Okla.) and Tucker Trevett (FR/Wichita, Kan.) on third and six halting the Eagles' first possession.Late in the first quarter, Malik Nesbitt, the KCAC's touchdown leader, found the end zone for the 16th time this season at the 2:20 mark to snap the scoreless tie and put Avila in front to stay.The Eagles broke the game open from there, as Kyle DeOrio threw 23-yard touchdown passes to Austin Reams and Andrew Williams on Avila's next two possessions to make it 20-0.It remained a 20-0 lead until a 62-yard interception return by Terrell Valentine increased the Eagle advantage with 4:59 left in the third quarter.Nesbitt then finished off the scoring for the day with a two-yard scamper for his second touchdown with 13:08 left in the game.Offense was hard to come by for the Falcons, as Avila held them to 111 total yards.Andre Wright (FR/Fayetteville, Georgia) had 24 rushing yards and Laken Clowdus (FR/Barlesville, Okla.) gained 23 yards on the ground for the Falcons. Joshua Morris (SO/Mt. Pleasant, Texas) had 26 yards passing and Cade Nagy (SO/Broken Arrow, Okla.) hauled in a pair of catches for 26 yards.DeOrio threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns and Nesbitt rushed for 105 yards and two scores for Avila. Williams had a big day through the air, hauling in 13 catches for 229 yards and one score.Jagger Blubaugh (SO/Wichita, Kan.) recorded a game-high 14 tackles for the Falcons (1-9) and Nolan Ewing (FR/Spring Hill, Kan.) made 11 stops, while Keyon Dickerson (FR/Midwest City, Okla.) had one sack.Joey Mars led the Eagles (7-3) with 12 tackles, including three tackles for loss.