Nov 01, 2025

🏈 Coyotes head to Wichita to face No. 4 ranked Friends at Equity Bank Park on Saturday

Posted Nov 01, 2025 1:45 PM

The Coyotes are on the road for a Kansas Conference and Gene Bissell Division game against the fourth-ranked Friends Falcons.

GAME INFORMATION

  1. Kickoff: 1 p.m.
  2. Day: Saturday
  3. Location: Equity Bank Park, Wichita
  4. Records: Kansas Wesleyan 6-2, 2-0 Bissell Division; Friends 8-0, 2-0

LIVE COVERAGE

  1. The video stream of the game will be available online on the Urban Edge Network (https://urbanedgenetwork.net/watch/2844). The game will also be streamed on the KCAC Network (https://kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan/) The KINA Radio Pregame Show with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson.
  2. Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
  3. Radio coverage will be on KINA starting at noon with Henry and Garretson. The online radio stream is available at https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.

THE SERIES

Friends won last year's game 28-26 in Wichita after KWU had won the previous nine contests dating back to 2015. The Coyotes are 16-8 against the Falcons since 2001.

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  1. The Coyotes trounced Sterling 35-0 on Homecoming last Saturday at rainy JRI Hospitality Stadium. It was their second consecutive victory heading into their final three games of the regular season against No. 4 Friends, No. 21 McPherson and No. 18 Southwestern.
  2. Domena, a senior running back, had a career-best effort against Sterling rushing for 259 yards on 40 carries and three touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 51 yards and was chosen as the KCAC Offensive Player of the Week. Henry Austad threw for 148 yards and a touchdown and ran one yard for another score.
  3. The defense intercepted five Sterling passes, two by safety Taylor Collins for the second consecutive week. The Coyotes also had six sacks, three by linebacker Gavin Skerik. Sterling finished with 25 yards rushing on 24 attempts.
  4. KWU's allowing 67.8 yards rushing per game - fourth in the NAIAA - but will be tested against Friends' flexbone offense that leads the NAIA in rushing yards per game. The Coyotes rank fourth in points allowed at 10.8.
  5. Friends won last year's game on a 40-yard field goal as time expired. The Falcons had 407 yards rushing but fumbled eight times losing four. Luke Armstrong had 79 yards rushing and a touchdown for KWU.

FRIENDS AT A GLANCE

  1. The Falcons lead the NAIA in scoring (54.4 points), rushing yards (465) and yards per carry (8.2). They defeated Southwestern 42-28 last Saturday in Winfield.
  2. Four Falcons have at least 496 yards rushing - E'derian Sykes 675, quarterback K'Vonte Baker 651, Nick Cordova 631 and Michael Lopez 496. Baker is 10 of 20 passing for 320 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
  3. Defensively, Friends is No. 1 in the NAIA in rushing yards allowed (47.4) and has 28 sacks. Linebacker Tyson Wallace has a team-best 33 tackles.
  4. Baker had 110 yards rushing on 20 carries and a touchdown and 53 yards passing and another score against KWU last year. Elias Pino led the offense with 134 yards rushing on 10 carries and a TD.
  5. Friends is coached by Terry Harrison who's in his fourth season. He coached Bethel for four years before heading to Wichita. He was head coach at Wichita Heights High School for five years before taking the Bethel job.

KWU HEAD COACH MATT MIDDLETON

"I think playing within the system has helped (Domena) big time. He's done what's been asked of him. We're pretty meticulous on how we do certain things, and I think that's the difference that you've seen. He's a good back; there's no question about that.

"End of the day it's about players and you've got to fit what you have. If you don't have a bunch of man press cornerbacks and guys that get in people's face you have to do other things. I think (defensive coordinator David) Leonard and his staff have done a good job of mixing that stuff up.

"It's just how physical (the Friends offense) is. If you miss a tackle or you miss a read, a three-yard gain can turn into an 88-yard touchdown. The other thing is not many people run (the option) anymore so it's really hard to prepare for it in a short amount of time.

"(Baker) is special and they're really good up front. I think they're good offensively and defensively they create constant havoc and chaos and play really well too."

LINEBACKER D.J. MORGAN

"(The linebacking corps) gives tremendous effort week in and week out and they support me as well. We feed off each other. When they make plays, it makes me want to make a play and vice versa.

"(The defensive backs) make my job way easier. I don't have to focus on the back that much because I know those guys have the pass game locked down. They allow me and the guys in front of me and the guys next to me to play the run and make sure we're doing our job. (The line) is doing a great job too. I haven't had an offensive lineman in my face in eight weeks so they're making my job easier too.

"I think our confidence level is pretty high. Those (next three) teams are really talented, and I think that we have a really talented team as well. We have to be fully dialed in like we have been in these past few weeks. Just buy into what the coaches are telling us to do, watching film and really preparing for these games."

NEXT WEEK

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