FAIRMONT —
Ben Landis accepted numerous congratulations and pats on the back Thursday evening following his team’s big 27-16 come-from-behind victory on the road over Clarion (Pa.) University at Memorial Stadium.
However, Fairmont State’s 6-3 junior punter from Johnstown, Pa. did a great job as usual of being modest and acknowledging all of the well-wishers with a simple “Thank you” and a small grin.
Still, someway, you just know inside he had to be absolutely beaming with pride.
Landis missed the entire 2009 football season with a torn ACL in his kicking knee. The injury occurred during an intramural basketball game prior to spring drills in 2009.
After months of rehab and hard work Thursday night marked the return of Landis to the football field and for sure it was a triumphant one in more ways than one as he was named Co-Special Teams Player of the Week in the West Virginia Conference along with the University of Charleston’s Corey Hill.
Fairmont State actually earned double honors from the conference this weekend. Junior cornerback Ryland Newman was named the Co-Defensive Player of the Week by the league along with Glenville State’s Donald Marshall.
Landis punted eight times in the FSU victory for an average of 43.5 yards per punt. He placed five balls inside the Golden Eagles’ 20-yard line, including two inside the five yard line. He had a long punt of 50 yards and six punts of 40 or more yards.
“I’m really proud of Ben,” said FSU coach Mike Lopez. “How about the job he did? To be honest we didn’t know what to expect from him coming off of that injury, but what a factor he was in the win. I’m very happy for him and obviously we’re very happy he’s back and healthy again.”
Newman, on the other hand, helped spark FSU to its come-from-behind win. Trailing 16-7 midway through the third quarter Newman, a 5-11, 185-pounder from Ranson who also plays point guard on the Falcons’ basketball team, picked off a Clarion pass and raced 54 yards to the end zone to make it 16-13. The TD was the first of 20 unanswered points by the Falcons in the win which improved them to 1-0 on the year.
Newman also tied for game-high tackles honors with 11, including one for a loss.
Hill, a 6-foot, 190-pound freshman linebacker from Leetonia, Ohio, who shared special teams honors with Landis, helped set up a Charleston touchdown just before the half by blocking a punt deep in Mars Hill territory. The ensuing one-yard TD run by UC’s Jordan Roberts gave the Golden Eagles’ a 28-6 halftime lead en route to a 42-20 victory.
Marshall, a 6-foot, 230-pound junior linebacker from Wichita, KS., racked up 16 tackles, including four sacks in Glenville's 44-10 win over West Virginia Tech. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one.
The league’s Offensive Player of the Week was Concord running back Brian Kennedy. The 5-8, 170-pound junior from Centreville, Va., rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in the Mountain Lions’ 20-17 road win at Lenoir-Rhyne. Kennedy also caught three passes for 27 yards to help Concord improve to 2-0.
Fairmont State Sports
Landis, Newman earn WVC honors
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FSU adds former St. John’s point guard
Fairmont State head basketball coach on Saturday announced the seventh addition to the 2012-13 roster by signing Malik Stith, a transfer from St. John's University. Stith will have one season of eligibility remaining.
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Falcons add point guard in Stith
Fairmont State head basketball coach today announced the seventh addition to the 2012-13 roster by signing Malik Stith, a transfer from St. John's University. Stith will have one season of eligibility remaining.
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FSU coach: Cooper ‘program-changer’
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Falcons sign top JUCO player Cooper
Fairmont State men’s basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun today announced the signing of 6-7 forward Brendan Cooper. Cooper, a first team National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) player for Lakeland (Ohio) Community College last season, will have two years of eligibility remaining for the Falcons.
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Concord edges FSU in extras, 4-3
Fairmont State’s baseball team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, but Concord pushed across a single run in the top of the 11th to defeat the Falcons 4-3 on Saturday night at Point Stadium in the WVIAC Tournament.
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FSU falls in WVIAC Tournament
Fairmont State rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, but Concord scored a run in the top of the 11th for a 4-3 victory Saturday night at Point Stadium.
Alderson-Broaddus will play Shepard for the league title today.
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Falcons add another basketball recruit
Fairmont State head coach Jerrod Calhoun announced today the addition of Chase Morgan to the Falcon basketball program. Morgan comes to FSU after one season at Bluefield State and will have three years of eligibility remaining.
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FSU falls in 12 innings to WVWC
Matt Edwards hit a triple in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift West Virginia Wesleyan past Fairmont State, 6-5, on Thursday night at Point Stadium in the WVIAC Tournament.
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Looking to the future
Since being hired as the new men’s basketball coach at Fairmont State last month, Jerrod Calhoun has been hard at work piecing together his first recruiting class for the Falcons.
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Ohio duo signs with Fairmont State basketball
Fairmont State men’s basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun announced the signing of Ohio prep standouts Ke'Chaun Lewis and Joey Vuyancih on Wednesday to National Letters of Intent.
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FSU adds former St. John’s point guard
