MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner used a first-half burst to jump out to a 35-0 halftime lead and then held off Bluefield's second-half rally to get the 42-28 win on Homecoming and Senior Night and put a bow on the pandemic-affected "2020" spring football season. By the time the visitors from the Virginia-West Virginia state line got off the deck after halftime, the home team had already placed the result out of reach at Cramton Bowl Saturday night.  

The Eagles were once again led by the arm of Kade Young, who had an 11-for-20 outing for 235 yards and four touchdowns and was pulled after his final scoring toss in the third quarter. Faulkner outgained the Rams on the ground 215-69; Hunter Gibson led the way with 89 yards on 13 carries, and Charles Blackmon was not far behind with 83 yards on eight touches. Isaiah Scott hauled in four catches for 156 yards, pushing the redshirt sophomore over the 1,000-yard mark for his college career. Jalen Browder had four receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Cordara Laurant, in his final game, also logged four catches, going for 57 yards. DeShuan Love led the defense with 10 tackles and two pass break-ups, and Eddie Brown and Vashon Jackson each chipped in seven tackles. Phillip Russell, Mario Davis Jr., Marvin Payton and Shae Taylor each registered a sack.

Mason Cox, the third Bluefield QB to take the field, stole the show in the second half, going 22-for-38 and three scores when he took over on his team's second drive after the break. Antonio Strickland led the Rams with 99 yards on nine catches, and Jaquan Ebron got 83 yards on five receptions with two touchdowns. Christian Quirley made three receptions for 65 yards, and Lowell Patron had five for 61 yards. Sam Kirtley spearheaded his squad's defense with 12 tackles, and Charles Turner turned in nine with two pass break-ups.

Malik Meadows electrified the crowd with a 70-yard kickoff return to open the game. The ensuing quick drive had a Senior Day feel to it, as Devon Murry took a short carry, followed by Laurant's 20-yard scoring catch on a jet sweep on just the second play from scrimmage. After Faulkner's next two drives stalled in Ram territory, thanks to a missed field goal and two sacks that forced a punt, Young hit a wide-open Scott for a 64-yard strike and a 14-0 lead with 1:30 expired in the second quarter.

Judson Hogeland tackled the return man on the following kickoff to pin the Rams at their 11-yard line, and blocked the punt four plays later that Aaron Reynolds picked up on the bounce in the endzone. The latter thus continued to make a name for himself on special teams, as it was his third career score off a blocked punt. Reynolds returned the first two for scores at Warner last season and blocked one himself last week against St. Andrews, the fourth of his Faulkner career. Gibson finished off the Eagles' next drive by pushing it in from the one. The drive covered 39 yards on seven plays, set up by Scott's 17-yard punt return.

Blackmon kick-started Faulkner's final drive before halftime with three first down runs. Scott reached the noted career mark on a 29-yard pass play to set up Young's scoring connection with Browder from 14 yards out to make it 35-0. The play made up for a would-be 38-yard Browder touchdown catch earlier in the drive that was negated by a holding penalty.

Cox finished his first drive under center with a 27-yard pass to Ebron, but Faulkner responded immediately and ultimately provided itself with a cushion that would be needed later. Scott's 42-yard kickoff return set the stage for a one-play possession, a 50-yard bomb from Young to Browder. Cox generated another response with a drive that ended with a seven-yard touchdown to Strickland on fourth down. That set the stage for a closing 21-0 run for the visitors.

Faulkner finishes the shortened season with a 6-2 record and second in the Appalachian Division, behind only undefeated Reinhardt, who provided both of the blemishes on the Eagles' record. The result is tied with the 2013 and 2014 teams for the program's best winning percentage; the Eagles won or tied for division titles and reached the national playoffs in both of those campaigns. Bluefield ends its season with a 2-7 finish. Faulkner has won all five of its all-time meetings with the Rams.

The win provided a great occasion to honor those playing in their final season for Faulkner. This season does not count against eligibility due to COVID-19, so several seniors are returning for next year. The ones suiting up for Faulkner for the final time were honored on the field before the game; they consisted of Laurant, Love, wide receiver Jacob Pigg, offensive linemen Austin Cummings and T'Auntre Spence, defensive back Brady Hancock, and record-setting placekicker Alvin Renteria.