Eagles drop 16-14 defensive struggle with Emerson-Hubbard...
Launch the media gallery 1 playerEagles drop 16-14 defensive struggle with Emerson-Hubbard……….
Eight man football is generally known for big plays and multiple scores. Not so on Friday, in Allen, as Emerson-Hubbard survived a late Allen assault to claim a 16-14 win in a defensive battle.
The defenses dictated the evening. Allen outgained the Pirates, 225-185. 109 of E-H total yards came on three plays. 51 yards for the Eagles came on two plays. In an era of the offenses being fashionable, a hard hitting defensive game was intriguing to see. What also was intriguing to see, was a game that had no turnovers.
The Eagles scored the lone touchdown in the first half as Garrett Brentlinger took the ball 21 yards to pay dirt at the 1:53 mark of the first period. The PAT failed. The Eagles led 6-0 at the halftime break.
E-H took their second possession of the third period to the end zone, when Blake Eriksen broke loose on a 20 yard run. Spencer Emmons pushed the ball over on the PAT to put E-H up 8-6 at the 6:43 mark of the third period.
Following a pair of exchanges by both teams via the punt, the Pirates hit early in the fourth period, their final score of the evening when Caleb Gubbels raced43 yards with 10:42 remaining in the game. Gubbels then ran the PAT in to put the Pirates up 16-6, and seemingly in control of the outcome.
Allen advanced immediately down the field, but on a fourth and 9 at the goal line, the Pirates withstood the drive when a pass to the end zone was dropped. Only 5:23 remained.
E-H was forced to punt the football, and an errant snap sailed into the end zone, giving the Eagles a team safety and closing the deficit to 16-8 with 3:40 left in the game. The Pirates then free kicked the ball away to the Eagles. The Eagles responded in rapid fashion, advancing the ball, and scoring on a 30 yard pass from Garrett Brentlinger to Cody Thomas at the 2:30 mark. The PAT failed, so the Eagles still needed the ball one more time.
The Pirates got the ensuing short kickoff near midfield, and advanced to the Eagle 32. The Eagles forced a Pirate punt with just over one minute left in the game. The Pirates kicked the ball out of bounds at the Eagle three yard line.
The Eagles without time outs, advanced the ball quickly, to the Pirate 34 yard line. The Eagles nearly won the game with 35 seconds left when they opted to run up the middle, and a shirt tail tackle saved the Pirates from giving the touchdown run up in the secondary. On the games’ final play, Brentlinger hit Tayler Kumm with a pass that reached the 20 of E-H, but time ran out on the clock. A defensive holding call on the play of an Eagle running back moved the ball to the Pirate 27 yard line. Due to the defensive foul with time running out in the quarter, the Eagles received one more play.
The Eagles opted to kick the field goal for the win. A 44 yard attempt, was long and high enough, but the cross-wind on the evening forced the ball to the left of the uprights.
On the evening……..the Eagles won all of the statistic battles except the final score. 225-185 in offense, first downs 12-8, and maybe the most telling, penalties, 9-6. Four of the penalties were definite drive killers. E-H had one penalty that was a drive killer.
Leading the Eagles defensively, was senior nose guard, Cody Thomas. Thomas registered 19 tackles. Blake McCorkindale, Kyle Smith, Isaac Verzani, Jacob Williams, and Garrett Brentlinger added 18, 15,13, 11, and 10 respectively.
Offensively, Garrett Brentlinger led the rushing list with 84 yards on 19 carries and one score. Brentlinger was 5-16 passing for 60 yards and one score. Cody Thomas had two catches for 35 yards and one touchdown.
The Eagles close the regular season on Thursday night at Wausa. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. With a win, the Eagles still have mathematical possibility of making the playoffs.
COACHES COMMENTS:
“Both teams put it out on the field tonight. We left a couple scoring opportunities out there due to mistakes, and it cost us. In spite of the size differences of the teams, we did a nice job holding our own. It was frustrating to see the effort not yield a win. We will learn, grow as young men and regroup. That is our assignment for this week.”