Wichita, Kan. – A fast start and a fourth quarter lead  was not enough for Tabor as the Bluejays fell in their season finale to Friends University by the score of 31-21 Saturday afternoon in Wichita, Kan.

The Bluejays who were looking for their third straight victory to end the season managed just 193 yards of total offense, while giving up 301 yards of offense to the Falcons on the afternoon

Freshman quarterback Simon McKee led a Bluejays offensive attack with 102 yards rushing on 24 carries and one score. McKee also totaled 42 yards through the air as he completed 4 of 10 pass attempts with one score and one interception. Junior Nate Harrison also had a strong day on the ground with nine carries for 44 yards and one score. Sophomore James Monroe Jr. ran 10 times for 33 yards as the Bluejays totaled 141 yards on the ground for the game. Senior Duray Gardner led all Tabor receivers in the game with two catches for 38 yards and one score.

Defensively the Bluejays were led by senior Travis Sanford with a game high 13 tackles and one pass break-up. Junior JP DeJesus also had a strong day defensively with 10 total tackles, while sophomores Terach Antoine and Justin Vargas chipped in with nine total tackles apiece.

After a punt by the Falcons to begin the game the Bluejays needed just two plays to find the end zone for the first time in the game. McKee would break free on a 54-yard touchdown run to give Tabor a quick 7-0 lead.

Unable to score on a stout Bluejays defense Friends turned to its special teams for a spark. The Falcons would return a Tabor punt 80-yards for a touchdown to tie the score up at seven all with 6:34 left to play in the fourth quarter.

In the second quarter Friends would use a nine play 58-yard drive to take its first lead of the day on a 21-yard field goal to make the score 10-7. Still trailing by three late in the second quarter the Bluejays would look to get on the scoreboard one more time before halftime as they drove down to the Falcons 31 yard line. The drive however would be cut short as a Tabor fumble was recovered by the Falcons. Despite the turnover the Bluejays still trailed by just three heading into the break.

It was a tough start for the Bluejays in the third quarter as Friends intercepted a McKee pass on the second play from scrimmage giving the Falcons the ball back at the Tabor 40-yard line. Despite the turnover Tabor's defense would keep the Falcons out of the end zone again as they stopped Friends on a fourth and two from their own nine-yard line to keep the deficit at three.

Friends would capitalize on another big special teams play as they forced and recovered a fumble for a touchdown on a Tabor punt attempt to extend its lead to 10 at 17-7.

Tabor would respond quickly as McKee found Gardner on a 36-yard pitch and catch to pull the Bluejays back within three at 17-14 early in the fourth quarter. The scoring drive took just 1:36 of the clock as it covered 61-yards on five plays.

Tabor's defense would continue to come up big on the ensuing possession stopping the Falcons on a fourth and one to put its offense back in business on their own 41-yard line.

With momentum on their side the Bluejays would cash in once again as Harrison capped-off a 7-play 58-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to give Tabor's the lead back at 21-17 with 7:35 left to play in the game.

Friends would answer Tabor's scoring drive with perhaps the biggest drive of the game going 55-yards on 8 plays ending in a three-yard touchdown to give the Falcons back the lead at 24-21. Needing to answerback the Bluejays next drive would be cut short as Friends recovered another fumble to give them back the ball at Tabor 11-yard line. Three plays later the Falcons would find the end zone once again on a two-yard run to extend its lead back-up to 10 at 31-21.

Tabor finished the 2011 season with a record of 3-7 and 2-7 in conference play finishing in a tie for eighth place in the KCAC regular season standings. The Bluejays will have to replace the loss of 12 seniors including Gardner, and Sanford, along with Aziz Spellman-Smith, Aaron Annis, Spencer Brown, Don Nelson, Johnathon Frankenfield, Darien McCollins, Jiquon Townsend, Aaron Munsch, Jay Funk, and Clark Wozich, but with a strong group of returners and another good recruiting class the Bluejays will look to contend for the KCAC title in 2012.