In a case of Thursday Night Lights due to a lack of available officials for Friday play, the Manson-Northwest Webster Cougars came to Eagle Grove to try their luck against the Eagles varsity football team on their home turf, in the Eagle Grove homecoming game; a Class 1A, District 2 matchup. The two teams were squarely matched, both taking the field with a 1-4 record, the Cougars at 1-1 in district games and the Eagles at 0-2.
Johnny Pamperin reaches above the outstretched arms of Cougar defender Tatuem Hanson to haul in the pass during Thursday night's homecoming game. Photo by Mitch Jones.
The Eagles burst into the game through a banner that read, "some wish for it, we work for it" and then proceeded to get right to work. Soaring to the first score of the game at the end of the initial drive that covered 52 yards across 6 plays, Orlando Hernandez would take the ball in the last 17 yards to the endzone for a touchdown. After scoring the 2 point conversion, the Eagles defense took the field to face the Cougar offense's first drive, with the Eagles already up 8 to nada.
MNW didn't have much of a first drive as the Eagles kept the ball within 10 yards of the start, and lacking a first down had to give the ball back to the Eagles. As soon as the Eagles got the ball for their second drive, they promptly performed a slightly more impressive instant-replay of their first drive. Once again Orlando Hernandez charged into the endzone for a touchdown, this time on a 25 yard run, once again in the sixth play of the drive, totaling 5 more yards than the first drive at 57. And again the two point conversion was good, and the Eagles were up 16 to zip in just two drives.
The first quarter was a loss for the Cougars but they managed to limp onto the scoreboard in the early part of the 2nd quarter. Cougar wide receiver Logan Moline made the 12 yard scoring pass to teammate Cayden Anderson to score 6. But MNW missed the extra points and that brought the tally to 16 over 6, in Eagle Grove's favor.
Eagle defensive lineman Zachary Pamperin takes down Cougar ball carrier Logan Moline. Photo by Mitch Jones.
The Eagles didn't take kindly to the Cougars scratching up their scoreboard and Eagle QB Tate Richardson tossed a missile to Johnny Pamperin who made a humdinger of a catch and followed it with a 45 yard sizzler of a run, then topped the play off with a touchdown. After another successful 2 point conversion the Eagles were up a score divisible by 4, at 24 to 6.
Hardly finished, the Eagles defense once again put the Cougar offense under pressure, and took an early repossession after Cayden Schultz intercepted a Cougar pass and then ran it a stunning 79 yards for the Eagles' 3rd TD of the game. And missing the extra points, that put the score at 30 to 6, with the Eagles well in the lead and the Cougars struggling to stay afloat.
To end an eventful first half Orlando Hernandez pulled off a hat trick, scoring his third touchdown of the game before it was half over, following a 48 yard run. No extra points followed this TD either, and that put the score ending the first half at 36-6.
Eagle Grove's Levi Langfitt comes up with the interception on the pass intended for Cougar receiver Matt Condon. Photo by Mitch Jones.
In the back end of the 3rd quarter Cougar wide receiver Logan Moline went for broke and fired off a 62 yard pass. Which MNW tight end Brody Poppen snagged and dragged into the endzone to bring the score into double digits for both teams, at 36 to 14.
Orlando Hernandez then brought the ball a long way to within 6 yards of the end zone, before Tate Richardson carried it over the line for the TD. No extra points yet again put the score at 42-14. Finally, still not done scoring in the best game of his career so far, Hernandez decided to score one more with a 42 yard sprint and touchdown. Final score: 48 to 14, Eagles.
Orlando Hernandez-Melendrez rushes down the field for more yardage against the Cougars. Photo by Mitch Jones.
Leading Eagles were obvious MVP Orlando Hernandez, Johnny Pamperin, Tate Richardson and Cayden Schultz. Hernandez scored 4 touchdowns in 14 carries, averaging 16.7 rushing yards each for a total of 237 yards run. Pamperin scored 1 TD in 2 receptions with 57 yards run. And Richardson completed half of his 6 passing attempts for 55 yards, averaging 18.3 yards per catch, with one toss leading to a TD and one TD he carried in himself. Schultz led in interceptions with 2 for 80 yards and one touchdown.
Orlando Hernandez runs in for the first touchdown of the game, as teammates throw their hands up in celebration. Photo by Edward Lynn.
This week it's back to Friday Night Lights for the Eagles as they take on Belmond-Klemme, aiming to trade up their new 2-4 (1-2 district) ranking into a sure playoff spot.
