Eagles get down and dirty in slopping to 14-8 win

Under some of the wettest conditions seen for a home game in some time, the Eagle Grove varsity played just well enough under the conditions for a 14-8 victory over Madrid. The win keeps them in the hunt for at least a runner-up district finish and the second playoff spot.

The Tigers took the opening kick and slogged their way to the Eagle eight, scoring three plays later. The two-point conversion made it 8-0, and that’s how the first period ended. The Eagles finally put something together in the middle of the second quarter, going on a nice drive capped off with a five-yard toss by Brayden Lyman to Niko Padilla. The Eagles tried for two, but failed, keeping Madrid in front by two points. The third quarter produced no points, but with just six minutes left in the game Brayden took off on a keeper and found paydirt from five-yards out. He then hooked up with Padilla again for the two-point conversion, making for the final score.

“Considering the weather and field conditions, we were just very happy to get the win,” stated head coach Paul Hansch. “I’ve only coached a handful of games where the field conditions were as bad as they got Friday night. Consequently, we had a lot of trouble just snapping the ball. When the field is as wet and sloppy as it was, it throws the timing off for the offense. I think that was evident on both teams. Nonetheless, we won the turnover battle and that’s very important in a game that is being played with a perpetually wet and muddy ball.”

Read the full story in the October 12 edition.