Faulkner University

PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- It didn't take long for Faulkner to record its first ever touchdown offensively and pick up its first interception defensively on Saturday at the Hambley Athletic Complex. But the Eagles are going to have to wait at least couple of weeks for a second chance at picking up their first win.

Faulkner's inaugural football game started off with excitement as the Eagles scored on their first possession -- capped by a Frank Chinoski 13-yard touchdown pass -- in what ended up being a 30-6 loss to host and soon-to-be conference rival, Pikeville.

First-year head coach Jim Nichols could not have hoped for a better start.

He engaged in some trickery on the game's opening kickoff with a reverse. Two plays later, Chinoski hit Quentin Roberts for 28-yard gain, followed immediately by 21-yard run by Maurice Whiting that put Faulkner in the red zone at the Pikeville 13.

Chinoski's 13-yard pass found lanky receiver Frankie Padula for the score.

"I was able to push off at the end and go up and get it," Padula said of the first scoring play in Faulkner history.

The offensive excitement and the highlights subsided from there.

Justin Wright missed the point-after attempt, leaving Faulkner with the early 6-0 lead. Chinoski had a hand in the game's very next score as well. While dropping back to pass from his own end zone on a third-down play, Chinoski collided with an official while trying to avoid the oncoming rush of Pikeville's Ryan Brown.

The play resulted in a safety, leaving the Eagles with a 6-2 lead and Pikeville with a chance at good field position from a free kick.

Yet, after Pikeville's Tramayel Jones returned the kick to the Faulkner 28, Duron Robinson came up with the first interception in school history, picking off a Dan Wideman pass in the shadow of his own end zone.

A stalled offensive series set Pikeville up again, resulting in a 30-yard field goal that trimmed the Faulkner lead to 6-5.

Prior to end of the half, Wideman made amends for the early interception by connecting with Antwan Surratt for a 20-yard touchdown -- the first of three he threw on the afternoon -- with only 49 seconds remaining in the half. A pass to Serafine for a two-point conversion gave Pikeville the lead for good at 13-6 lead.

"We had a pretty good first half," said Faulkner linebacker Brian Fulgham, who recorded the first sack in school history during the opening half and finished the game with 15 tackles.

The Faulkner offense regressed in the second half.

Chinoski fumbled a first down snap early in the third, setting Pikeville up deep inside Eagle territory. Wideman quickly found Surratt for a second touchdown -- from 26 yards out -- with the PAT making it 20-6.

Wideman would later connect with Justin Lamb for a 68-yard touchdown pass. Chilton added the point-after attempt and later hit his second field goal of the game, leaving the Bears with the 30-6 advantage.

"We turned the ball over too many times," Nichols said. "You can't win like that."
Jeremy Smith
Special to the Advertiser