After scoring a single touchdown over a three-game skid, the Fort Campbell Falcons have hit their offensive stride with back-to-back wins after a 38-6 victory over visiting Ballard Memorial on Friday.
Darin Frederick threw for five touchdowns in a narrow victory over Caverna last week, and he added three more on Friday to give the Falcons their first playoff berth since 2019 and only the second in six seasons.
However, Homecoming Night didn’t get off to an auspicious start at Fryar Stadium. The Falcons misplayed the opening kickoff, and Ballard recovered on the 7-yard line. The Bombers only needed one play to punch it in and led 6-0 with six seconds played.
But that would be all the scoring the Falcons would allow, and they took the lead for good on a 1-yard plunge by Jontae Al-Muid and a 2-point conversion with 10:04 left in the 1st quarter.
Fort Campbell tacked on another touchdown on a 20-yard run around the left side by Keshawn Dixon. Another successful 2-point attempt gave the Falcons a 16-6 advantage to start the 2nd quarter.
Frederick and receiver Maurice Moore had connected on three touchdowns this season, but they only needed just over five minutes to double that total. On 3rd and 2 from the Ballard 10-yard line, Moore hauled in his first TD of the night for a 24-6 lead with 4:52 left in the quarter.
Moore was back in the endzone in the final seconds of the half on a 26-yard toss from Frederick. However, the 2-point try failed, and Fort Campbell led 30-6 at the break.
Frederick and Moore hooked up again for the only points of the 2nd half. Moore’s third TD went for 12 yards, and Keshawn Dixon ran in the 2-point try with just over 11 minutes left in the game.
Both teams ran for 211 yards. Dixon led the Falcons with 142 yards on 22 carries, followed by Jayden Swann with 53 yards on nine attempts, and Al-Muid with 12 yards and a TD.
Frederick finished 7/12 for 111 yards and three scores. All three of Moore’s catches went for touchdowns, and Al-Muid had two grabs for 44 yards.
Jerrico Wilson carried the ball 23 times for 132 yards for the Bombers. Nichols ran for 42 yards on eight tries, and Keaton Overstreet averaged 10 yards per carry for 40 yards. The Bombers completed four passes for zero yards.
Before a trip to Owensboro Catholic in two weeks to start the postseason, Fort Campbell will hit the road to face Webster County in the regular season finale. The Falcons beat the Trojans 36-34 for their lone win last season.
