The Eagle Grove High School football team came out ready for battle against the Belmond-Klemme Bronco game played at home on Friday, Oct. 8. Motivated by playoff hopes, the Eagles chose to receive the ball after winning the coin toss. Their first two carries resulted in two first downs. The third carry resulted in an Eagle fumble on the Broco’s 40-yard line that was recovered by the Broncos. But one unfortunate play did not dampen the Eagles’ spirit and Drake Canavan made the tackle on the Bronco’s first play for a loss of yards. The second play of the Bronco’s possession resulted in another loss of years. At third and 19, Drake Canavan and Zach Pamperin made a joint tackle to take the Broncos to fourth down and 25, forcing the Broncos to punt.
On the punt, the Broncos got a flag when the Eagle’s called a fair catch but the Broncos interfered. With the penalty enforced, the Eagles got the ball on the Bronco’s 45-yard line. Orlando Melendrez scored the first touchdown of the game for the Eagles. A two-point conversion sent the Eagles up 8 – 0.
The punt return for the Broncos was stopped short when the Eagles tackled the Bronco player before he reached the 30-yard line. The Eagle’s sideline and coaches were fired up and ready to go by the past several minutes of play. Everything seemed to be going the Eagle’s way as a delay of game for the Broncos followed, backing them up five more yards, putting the Bronco’s first play after the Eagle’s score on the 24-yard line. The Bronco’s second down was a loss of seven yards, making it third and 17 for the Broncos, eventually resulting in another Bronco punt.
Eagles got possession on their own 47-yard line. Another good field position start for the Eagles.
With 59 seconds left in the first quarter, the Eagles scored another touchdown followed by another two-point conversion, making the score 16 – 0. A flag for a personal foul on the Broncos left a 15-yard penalty assessed on the kick-off.
With 9:17 left in the second quarter, Jake Jeske took the ball in for another touchdown. A few minutes later, Tate Richardson ran from the 20-yard line for another Eagle touchdown, but there was a flag for an illegal shift on the Eagles, so it came back. With 2:15 left in the second quarter, the Eagles on their own 42-yard line, fumble the ball, but Canavan recovered it to keep the Eagle’s possession. With 1:39 left in the first half, Blake Morgan ran it in for a touchdown. With a two-point conversion by Jeske, the Eagles went into halftime up by a score of 30 – 0 with fans on their feet cheering.
The Broncos came back from the break with a vengeance, but they couldn’t put up any points on the scoreboard. The second half was also less eventful for the Eagles, but with 8:32 left in the third quarter, Kayden Schultz made an interception as the Broncos were going for the touchdown. With 3:38 left, the Eagle runner stepped just outside the touchdown zone, but eventually took it in for yet another touchdown. Richardson carried for another two-point conversion with 2:49 left in the third quarter.
With 3:44 left in the fourth quarter, Belmond tries to go for a long yardage play but an Eagle’s tip brings up fourth and 15 for the Broncos. The Broncos decided to go for it, but are stopped short of the first down, giving possession back to the Eagles, and ultimately, the win. The Eagles have now advanced to playoff action. Watch for playoff information when it becomes available.
Game Leaders
Passing Yards | Tate Richardson, JR
C/A 1/1 YDS 41 TDS 1
Rushing Yards | Jake Jeske, SO
ATT 12 YDS 82 TDS 1
Receiving Yards | Cayden Schultz, JR
REC 1 YDS 41 TDS 1
Total Tackles | Trenton Sorensen, JR
TKL 8.0 TFL 2.5
