Box Score LAKELAND, Fla.—A record breaking night by Lakeland native
Michael Wheary wasn't enough to push the Fire past NAIA No. 10 Faulkner 45-33.
The Youngstown State transfer hauled in 10 passes from two different quarterbacks, amassing 245 yards and two touchdowns. The reception and yardage totals are both program records.
"We've watched him in practice during the spring and fall, and had shown some signs of his play making abilities last week against Faith," said coach
Keith Barefield. "We needed him to have a big game for us to have a chance, and he kept us in the game on offense."
Wheary got the scoring started, snagging a Johnathan Pearce pass, and taking it to the end zone from 40 yards out with 12:03 left in the second quarter, but the point after try was blocked. The Eagles came back with a 69-yard touchdown pass from Clayton Nicholas to Rob Lockhart to take a 7-6 advantage.
Pearce then found
DeVonte Mack from 19 yards out to put the Fire back up 12-7 as the point after was missed.
Faulkner's Quan Latham picked off Pearce with 6:07 left in the half and took it 39 yards for a score. Pearce was also injured on the play and only played one more snap the rest of the night.
The Eagles added a 21-yard field goal and a 13 yard TD reception by Lockhart to take a 24-12 lead at the break.
On the second play of the third quarter,
Railond Garrett found Wheary for a Victory Field record 81-yard pass to bring the Fire within five. Again, the Eagles would answer as Nicholas found A.J. Stevenson and then Josh Gross for touchdown passes of 49 and 17 yards, respectively to increase the advantage to 38-19.
"I didn't think we had very much tempo and things were out of sync when Johnathan went out, but a lot of it is Railond getting in the game and feeling comfortable," said Barefield of the second quarter. "You could tell the difference from when he felt comfortable and when he didn't."
In the fourth quarter, the Fire tried to rally, getting a touchdown run from Garrett, then a
Blade Denmark interception turned into a
Jarrell Reynolds touchdown run to get the Fire back within five (38-33).
The Eagles needed one more answer, and got it in the form of Nicholas' fifth touchdown strike of the night, finding Stevenson with 7:37 to go. Faulkner's defense forced a 3-and-out on the ensuing drive to put the game on ice.
"Overall, when you play a team that's bonafide, nationally ranked, they're going to cause you to make mistakes," said Barefield.
The Fire return to action next Saturday in their Sun Conference opener against Warner University. The game will kick off at Lakeland Christian at 7 p.m.
