It's always difficult to win on the road. Especially on a cold, gray day befitting the Halloween weekend.
The Concord Football team braved the elements – and an inspired opponent playing its homecoming game – to defeat Fairmont State, 20-7, in a WVIAC contest on a cloudy, wet and frigid Saturday afternoon at Duval-Rossier Field in Fairmont, WV.
The win improved CU's record to 5-3 – 5-1 in the conference – and kept the Mountain Lions on track for a possible post-season berth. With two games left this season, Concord is one game behind West Virginia Wesleyan for first place in the WVIAC. The Mountain Lions visit West Liberty next week, then host the Bobcats on November 12.
On a day when yardage was hard to come by, CU produced big plays that helped propel them to their second conference road win of the season.
The first big play came early in the 2nd quarter, with FSU driving in Concord territory. QB Logan Moore ran an option play to his right. The CU defense forced him to pitch the ball, but there was no running back there to catch it. Concord cornerback Nate Pollard scooped up the loose ball and ran it back 61 yards for a touchdown. CU misfired on a two-point conversion pass but was still ahead 6-0 with 14:48 left before halftime.
Concord came up with another big play, that set up yet another, later in the quarter. FSU kicker Frank Keenan attempted a 44-yard field goal, but a CU defender partially blocked the attempt and the kick fell to the ground short of the goalpost.
Five plays later, Concord QB Zack Grossi connected with freshman WR Darrick Williams for a 60-yard touchdown pass, doubling CU's lead to 12-0 with 2:31 to go in the half.
CU's special teams came up big again in the 2nd half, blocking another field goal by Keenan – a 33-yard attempt – with 5:16 left in the 3rd quarter.
Fairmont State broke up Concord's shutout bid with a 12-play, 65-yard, 3:23 drive that ended with a four-yard TD run by Moore with 7:21 left in the 4th quarter. The score cut CU's lead to 12-7.
But Concord responded well on what was perhaps its most important possession of the season, embarking on a lightning-quick three-play, 70-yard, 1:11 drive. Brian Kennedy ran for 12 yards, Grossi passed to TE Rashid Baker for 23 yards, and Kennedy burst through for a 35-yard TD run (right). Kennedy ran in the two-point conversion attempt, lifting CU to a 20-7 advantage with 6:06 to go.
Fairmont State reached the CU red zone in the final minute, but Moore's 4th down pass into the end zone fell incomplete.
Kennedy paced the Concord offense with 91 yards on 18 carries. Grossi completed 11 of 23 passes for 174 yards. Baker finished with five receptions for 56 yards.
Linebacker Jake Lilly led the CU defense with nine tackles and an interception. Pollard added seven tackles (and his TD fumble return), while Riyahd Richardson had six tackles.
Moore ran for 78 yards and passed for 200 for Fairmont State.
Up next for Concord (5-3, 5-1) is a visit to defending league champion West Liberty next Saturday, November 5. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm at Russek Field in West Liberty, WV.
