BABSON PARK, Fla. (October 30, 2021) – Facing its fourth top-25 opponent of the season, this time in the form of No. 19 Faulkner University, the Webber International University football team hosted the Eagles Saturday afternoon. In the end, the Warriors were able to hold off a late comeback attempt to earn their first win of the season.
 
The Warriors (1-7 overall, 0-4 SUN) racked up 474 yards of total offense in the game, scoring a season high 38 points. It was the first victory for the Warriors under new Head Coach Eric Potochney as well.
 
Webber would not take long to start gathering momentum as after receiving the opening kickoff, the Warriors would score on their opening drive. After two 10-yard rushes and one 27-yard rush from quarterback Cody Braden, Webber would be first-and-goal. A seven-yard touchdown pass from Braden to Jacob Moss would put the Warriors in front, 7-0.
 
A field goal from Austin Smith on their second offensive drive would extend the lead to 10. But with four minutes to go in the first quarter, the Eagles (6-2, 3-1) would score a pick-six to get themselves on the board.
 
The Warriors would score two more touchdowns in the second quarter. The first of which was a 10-yard rush from Braden and then a one-yard touchdown run from Maynard Blackmon with four minutes left in the half. Webber would hold its 17-point lead going into halftime at 24-7.
 
The Eagles would score on their first play from scrimmage coming out of halftime. A 50-yard touchdown pass from Kade Young to Jaiveyon Tucker would cut the Webber lead to 11 after a missed extra point. However, the Warriors would restore their lead roughly three minutes later after another one-yard touchdown rush from Blackmon.
 
With just under 11 minutes left in the game, Webber would extend its lead even further after a six-yard touchdown rush from Tremon Bright, making it 38-13. Faulkner would make an effort to get back into the game, scoring three touchdowns in a span of just over five minutes. However, it would be too little too late for the Eagles as the Warriors would recover an onside kick and waste out the rest of the clock.
 
Braden finished with 222 yards through the air on 21-33 passing, with one passing touchdown and one rushing. Moss led the Warriors in receiving yards with 78 and a touchdown to his credit. He was followed by Freddie Hughley and Kenneth Davis each with 58 yards. Bright was the workhorse in the ground game for Webber, rushing the ball 23 times for a total of 170 yards and a touchdown.
 
Head Coach Eric Potochney spoke on Bright's performance saying, "Tremon is an exceptional player and I think even more importantly, he's a good guy. He's not an ego guy, he just comes to work and practices hard, so it's good to see him have some success."
 
Defensively, the Warriors were led by Rocky O'Rourke who finished with seven total tackles including a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss. Devonte Harris also finished with seven total tackles while Christopher Williams II had four as well as two pass breakups.
 
"Our guys went out and competed, played hard, and I'm happier to get the win for them than for me," spoke Potochney. "The guys have been working so hard for months and our coaches did a great job making adjustments. Faulkner is a talented football team but our offense was great today. I stress to our team that we have to have the right mindset and we were able to go out and just compete, we just need to finish a little better."
 
The Warriors now have to travel to Miami Gardens, Florida next Saturday, November 6, to battle the Lions of Florida Memorial. They will then return home to host their Crooked Lake rivals, Warner University, on Saturday, November 13 at 1:30 p.m. for the Warrior's Senior Day and season finale.