Coyotes stop Falcons to move to 2-0 on the season
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Darell Grames looks for an open spot Saturday night against Friends

Ya gotta do what you know how to do best to win football games and the Coyotes did just that as they racked up 273 yards of rushing en route to a 20-18 win over Friends at Adair-Austin Stadium.

It almost turned out to be a loss for the Coyotes, as Friends trailed 20-18 after a 51-yard field goal by Colten Cody with 12:02 left in the fourth. The Coyotes took over on their own 20, but could get no further than the 29 and Jared Fronce’s punt was fair caught by JR Phillips at the Friends-45. Two Montrell Vann runs, including a 20-yarder gave the Falcons great field position at the KWU-31, but a handoff between Chris Randolph and Alex Wayman didn’t connect, and Mike Holst recovered the ball for Wesleyan with 7:47 left.

The Coyotes then gave a heavy dose of Darell Grames, running out the clock, converting several big first downs, and getting a little help from the Falcons, who committed five penalties on the drive.

Friends struck first on a halfback pass from Chris Hanson to Luke Flannagan for 20 yards. Cody’s kick put Friends ahead 6-0 with 11:19 left. The Coyotes evened things out at the 5:35 mark as Grames went around the right end and into the endzone from 56 yards out. Michael Barry’s kick gave Wesleyan the lead 7-6.  

Barry then gave the Coyotes the lead 10-6 as he converted a 22-yard field goal into the stiff south breeze with 8:19 left.

With 5:12 left Cody converted a 38-yarder to get within one at 10-9. Wesleyan would add to the lead again with 57 seconds left in the half as DeChad Ward took the ball up the left side and went in. Barry’s kick gave Wesleyan the 17-9 lead at the half.

Friends took advantage of a KWU turnover, as Noah Morford stripped the ball from Justin Schropp and scampered 25 yards for the score. Friends went for two, but Randolph’s pass to Flannagan was incomplete.

A Barry field goal from 26 yards out gave Wesleyan the five-point lead 20-15 with 2:02 left in the third, before Cody’s 51-yarder got Friends within two.

Grames led the Wesleyan (2-0) offensive attack as he carried 36 times for 188 yards and a score, while Ward added 10 carries for 80 yards and a score. The Coyotes racked up 273 yards rushing on the night while Schropp was just 1-of-4 for eight yards to Marcus Lowe.

Friends (1-1) was led by Wayman with seven carries for 71 yards, while Montrell Vann carried seven times for 42 yards. Randolph was 6-of-18 for 34 yards.

Wesleyan debuts at home next week against Saint Mary. It’s Homecoming 2006 for the Coyotes, as well as the Alltel Coyote Kickoff Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM at Martin Stadium.

-- KWU SI --

	All photos by Jack Morris, KWU Communications Department