MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner flew higher Saturday. The Eagles outpaced Point 10-7 in the fourth quarter, relying on a stingy defense and the steady leg of
Caden Davis for a 24-21 victory over the Skyhawks.
The game, which was chippy from the outset, featured more than 200 yards worth of penalties including 120 on the Point ledger. The biggest came with 12:15 remaining in the contest when Mitchell Gossett connected with Emery Bryant for a 35-yard touchdown pass, cutting the score to 21-20. Gossett was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and ejected from the game, sending Point to its third quarterback of the evening as it tried to find a path to victory.
For its part, Faulkner capitalized on the momentum swing by putting together a 10-play drive that covered 47 yards and milked 5:09 off the game clock.
Raequan Beal twice converted third downs to extend the possession, hitting
T.J. Hall for 27 yards and
Timothy Cody for 11 to get Faulkner into field goal range. The Eagles capped the drive with a 40-yard field goal from
Caden Davis to take a 24-21 lead with 1:54 left in the game.
Kareem Keye appeared poised to catapult the Skyhawks in front when he returned the kickoff 54 yards to the Faulkner 29. However, a holding infraction at the 34, backed the line of scrimmage up to the 44.
Emmanuel Olaitan pushed Point out of Eagle territory with his second sack of the night. The final chance for the Skyhawks came when Keye secured Austin Adcock's pass for 11 yards and was taken down by
Kordell King six yards short of the first down. Faulkner then jumped into victory formation to finish it out.
Bryant caught the first of his three touchdown passes with 11:25 to go in the second quarter. The Eagles answered with 4:26 remaining in the half as Beal went over the top to
Daimon Hitchcock on a go route for the 49-yard touchdown strike, accounting for Faulkner's first trip to the end zone since Oct. 14 and its first at Billy D. Hilyer Stadium since Sept. 23. Hitchcock spun the football in celebration and drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but the infraction was not enough to quell the excitement of the Faulkner faithful.
Point took the lead back with 6:37 left in the third when Bryant hauled in a 24-yard touchdown strike from Gossett. The Eagles tied the game with 3:01 left in the third when Beal dropped the ball perfectly into the hands of a leaping Hitchcock who skied over two defenders to haul in the touchdown just inside the pylon as he held on through the contact and the ground.
Faulkner took the lead with 12:29 to play as
Marvin Payton blocked a punt that Olaitan scooped and returned 36 yards for a touchdown.
Faulkner finished the game with 181 yards of total offense. Beal threw for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Hitchcock had 86 yards on two catches, both for scores.
Jerrell Williamson finished with nine tackles.
Samaj Washington and
Avian Morgan each had an interception. Olaitan had nine tackles including three for loss and two sacks along with a pass breakup and the touchdown.
Faulkner (2-7, 0-5 MSC) finishes the season next week when it travels to Lebanon, Tenn. to face Cumberland.
