KCAC

[Football] Football Falcons' Late Rally Falls Short in 25-20 Setback to Bethel

WICHITA, Kan. – Trailing by 18 points late in the fourth quarter, the Friends University Falcons mounted a late charge, but came up just short in falling 25-20 to the Bethel College Threshers today (Oct. 19) at Adair-Austin Stadium.The comeback started when a bad snap on a Bethel punt attempt set the Falcons up at the Thresher 10 yard line.Quincy Brown (SR/Redding, Calif. ) then cashed in with his second rushing touchdown of the day to cut the deficit to 25-14.The Falcons would then stay alive when Dmitri Merritt (FR/Crowley, Texas) recovered the ensuing onside kick at the Bethel 38.To keep the drive going, the Falcons had to convert two fourth down opportunities, starting with a nine yard completion from Javonte Stewart to Caleb Fink (SO/Wichita, Kan. ) on fourth and seven.Then on fourth and one, Marshall McShan (JR/Millville, NJ) gained what he needed to the one yard line.Following an unsportsmanlike penalty, Stewart again connected with Fink on a 14 yard pass before scoring his first career touchdown, a one yard scamper on third down.The two point attempt was no good, and the Threshers were able to recover the next onside kick attempt to seal the win.After the Threshers grabbed an early 3-0 lead, they got the ball back on an interception, but the Falcon defense held tight and forced a successful 25 yard field goal attempt by Logan Desmond that made it 6-0.Following a two yard touchdown run by quarterback Zach Esau that made it 12-0, Cameron Walker (JR/Salinas, Calif.) recovered a fumble on a Falcon punt at the Thresher 31.Brown would do the rest, running for 21 yards on the first play before scoring from 10 yards out to put the Falcons on the board early in the second quarter.It stayed 12-7 until the Threshers took the second half kickoff and marched 66 yards in 11 plays, scoring on a three yard quarterback keeper by Landon Barnes to stretch the lead to 18-7. The Threshers then scored again after a bad snap on a punt led to a 15 yard touchdown run by Jesse Garcia late in the third period.Stewart completed 9-of-22 for 74 yards with four interceptions, while rushing seven times for a career-best 34 yards.Brown led the Falcons' ground attack with 74 yards, with the two touchdowns giving him a team-leading five on the season.Fink led the Falcons with three receptions for 38 yards.Barnes fueled the Threshers' offensive attack with 100 rushing yards. The Threshers, the NAIA leaders in rushing offense, gained 279 on the ground overall while attempting just six passes.David Akao (SO/Wichita, Kan.) paced the Falcons' defense with a career-high tying 13 tackles, with Jordan Brookins (SR/Fort Worth, Texas) registering a career-best 11 stops. Robert Garcia (JR/Wichita, Kan.) made two tackles for loss and Jeremiah Pharms (SR/Stockton, Calif. ) had eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss for the Falcons (1-6, 1-6 KCAC).Dominic Brown led the Threshers (5-2, 5-2 KCAC) with nine tackles and Joshua Seabolt had eight stops and one sack.The Falcons will next be in action next Saturday (Oct. 26) at Southwestern College. Kickoff is set for 1:30 pm in Winfield, Kan.