FAIRMONT — Monday Fairmont State senior cornerback Matt Vujaklya got the news he wanted to hear.
The 6-2, 215-pounder three-year letterman, who underwent complete re-constructive surgery on his left knee just a little over eight months ago, was given clearance by his doctor, Freddie Fu of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, to play this season.
Despite the good news, second-year Fairmont State football coach Mike Lopez says he doesn’t want to rush the return of his talented senior defensive back.
“He was cleared to play, but he will not be available to us for the Clarion game,” said Lopez. “I really don’t want him to rush back. It kind of boggles my mind that it’s only been eight months since his surgery, but he has been cleared by doctors to play.”
The Falcons begin the season Thursday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. when they visit Clarion (Pa.) University. FSU’s home opener is slated for Sept. 6 at 1 p.m. against Lake Erie College. Fairmont’s West Virginia Conference opener is Sept. 13 at home at 1 p.m. against West Virginia State.
Vujaklya blew out his left knee on the first play from scrimmage in FSU’s season finale with Concord University last Nov. 10 at Duvall-Rosier Field. Dr. Fu performed a relatively new surgical technique called double bundle on Vujaklya on Dec. 4. The new technique better replicates the original ligament much more accurately. As a result, many doctors beginning to use this surgical technique are finding that several patients are recovering fully in a less amount of time.
In other camp news the Falcons will hold their “Black Hat Bowl” Thursday at 5 p.m. at Duvall-Rosier Field. In essence that’s a dress rehearsal for Fairmont’s pregame where the Falcon first and second-team units will situationally scrimmage against the squad’s scout team which will be running Clarion stuff.
“We were supposed to scrimmage Wednesday and then have the “Black Hat Bowl” Thursday and as a staff we didn’t feel like days of back-to-back scrimmages would be beneficial to the guys,” said Lopez. “I really want our guys to be fresh for next Thursday when we play Clarion.
“Right now we’ve got some dings and nicks and I’d like to see a lot of those get cleared up and better before next week. It’s been a long camp for us, but it’s been a very productive camp. The key for us in the next week is to stay mentally sharp, keep our confidence and avoid regression. That’s going to be a challenge, especially since school starts for us on Monday, but it’s something we have to do.”
Duane Cochrane
FSU’s Vujaklya cleared to play
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Falling short: SLIDESHOW
For Fairmont State’s men’s basketball team, the story this season has been an all-too familiar one.
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Lady Falcons top State, extend streak: SLIDESHOW
Kaitlin Snyder and Hailey Garrett combined for 43 points to help lead Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons to their third consecutive victory, 87-78, here Monday evening over visiting West Virginia State at the Joe Retton Arena.
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Lady Falcons halt UPJ’s winning ways: PHOTOS
One of the hottest teams in the West Virginia Conference paid a visit to the Joe Retton Arena on Wednesday evening and received a rude welcoming from Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons.
Pitt-Johnstown, winners of three in a row and eight of its last 10, got thoroughly dominated for 32 of the game’s 40 minutes as FSU halted the Lady Mountain Cats’ winning ways with an 88-66 victory. -
UPJ wins thriller over Falcons, 92-87
It was an electric atmosphere here Wednesday evening at the Joe Retton Arena.
Unfortunately, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team ran out of juice in the waning minutes and fell, 92-87, to visiting Pitt-Johnstown. -
Glenville completes season sweep of Falcons
Glenville State can make a living playing Fairmont State this season in men’s basketball.
That’s because half of the lowly Pioneers’ four victories this season have come at the expense of the Falcons.
Thursday evening here at the Jesse R. Lilly Gymnasium, Glenville State completed the regular-season sweep of Fairmont State, rolling to an impressive 80-59 victory over the floundering Falcons. -
Streaking Lady Pioneers hold off late FSU rally
Glenville State, the second-place team in the West Virginia Conference, shook off a horrid shooting performance in the first half, caught fire from the field in the final 20 minutes and rolled to a 92-78 victory over visiting Fairmont State here Thursday evening at the Jesse R. Lilly Gymnasium.
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Garrett, Lohr lead Lady Falcons past A-B: PHOTOS
Fairmont State possesses two of the more talented true freshmen in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season in Hailey Garrett and Emily Lohr.
Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena that duo combined for 36 points and nine rebounds to help lead FSU to 66-56 victory over visiting Alderson-Broaddus. -
Battlers top Fairmont State for 13th straight win
Despite heroic efforts from its dynamic duo of Steve Custis and Isaac Thornton, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team couldn’t derail red-hot Alderson-Broaddus here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena.
The streaking Battlers posted an 81-70 victory over the Falcons for their 13th straight win. -
FSU gets much-needed win over Rams
Chris Thompson was perfect.
Steve Custis and Isaac Thornton were their usual selfs and Mike Hurd stepped up big time off the bench.
As a result, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak and got a much-needed, 80-66, victory over visiting Shepherd University Wednesday evening here at the Joe Retton Arena. -
Lady Pioneers hold off late FSU rally: PHOTOS
Glenville State senior guard Beth Deren buried a trio of 3-point field goals in a span of less than a minute late in the second half to help the Lady Pioneers hold off a fierce Fairmont State rally and record an 88-80 victory here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena.
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