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By PAUL DELANEY
Staff Reporter 

Eagles fall short – again – against Huskies

Eastern digs out of big hole, slugs it out to end with Pac-12 Washington in 59-52 loss

 

Last updated 9/11/2014 at 6:32pm

Paul Delaney

Eastern Washington's Cory Mitchell beats a pair of University of Washington defenders, including Darren Gardenhire (3) to haul in the first of his two touchdown catches in the Eagles' wild 59-52 shootout loss last Saturday at Husky Stadium.

In a game dominated by big numbers on the scoreboard and stats report, the latest non-conference loss by the Eastern Washington University football team to the Pac-12's University of Washington was decided by some really small ones.

Two Eagles' turnovers led directly to Husky touchdowns. And Eastern's defense was only able to stop Washington drives and force punts twice in a 59-52 shootout last Saturday at Husky Stadium.

If entertaining counts at all, the Eagles, now 2-1, were certainly that - again. This was Washington's second escape against Eastern. They needed an end zone interception in the final minute to secure a 30-27 win in 2011.

While the Huskies (2-0) delighted the home-opener crowd of 62,871 by racing to a quick 21-0 lead early in the game, they also cast their fans into fits of depression as Eastern's high-powered offense rallied possession after possession and stayed close.

"Our guys showed a lot of grit and a lot of fight," EWU head coach Beau Baldwin said. "To me the thing that I was most proud of was where we were at the start and fighting our way back to take the lead early in the third quarter."

Washington built that early lead in just 7 minutes, 28 seconds and 16 plays. The once-suspended Husky quarterback, Cyler Miles, capped a 10-play drive with his 1-yard run on the Huskies' first possession for 7-0 lead.

A Mario Brown fumble on Washington's ensuing kickoff turned into a Lavon Coleman 9-yard touchdown for a 14-0 lead.

Eastern's stuttering start was further compounded by a quick three-and-out on its first possession. Three plays later, Husky linebacker/running back Shaq Thompson was on a 57-yard glide down the right sideline and a 21-0 lead.

But before the Eastern ship fully rolled over and began to sink, the Eagles' offense finally came to life.

It took quarterback Vernon Adams just 2:32 and seven plays to find Cooper Kupp for 41 yards and a diving touchdown catch for a 21-7 score for the No. 2-ranked Football Championship Subdivision team.

That drive got Adams on track and he went on to complete 31 of 46 passes for a career best 475 yards and a school record seven touchdowns.

"I would have settled with zero touchdowns if it would have meant getting the win," Adams said.

Kupp would go on to have two more TDs among his eight catches and 145 yards. He later capped the Eagles' rally and gave them their first lead, 38-37 with 12:18 remaining in the third quarter.

After Kupp's first touchdown, Eastern held Washington to a field goal and just 1:25 later Kendrick Bourne beat coverage down the left sideline to reel in a pass that made it 24-14.

The first of two Korey Durkee punts concluded the Huskies' next possession after just three snaps. On a fourth and two from the Washington 26, Eastern flooded the field with receivers. Kupp scored to make it 24-21 with 12:06 left in the half.

The teams stayed in shootout mode to conclude the half. John Ross scored on a 55-yard Miles pass just 45 seconds later as UW regained a 10-point lead at 31-21. Cory Mitchell made a foot-dragging catch for the first of his two touchdowns with 7:37 to go, trimming the Huskies' lead to 31-28.

Washington struck quickly, again, pushing its lead to 37-28 with Dwayne Washington scoring 1:18 later, but the Huskies missed the point-after. Eastern closed with a Roldan Alocbendas 22-yard field goal with 1:28 remaining for a 37-31 game at the break as the Eagles wound up with a fourth and goal at the UW 5.

The scoring ratcheted down in the second half. Eastern took its opening drive 80 yards in seven plays as Kupp slithered into the end zone for the Eagles first lead, 38-37.

Washington and Mitchell traded scores, each their second of the game and Eastern again grabbed the lead 45-44 with 2:46 left in the third.

Miles second touchdown run was followed by an acrobatic one-handed 2-point conversion catch by Kasen Williams and leap-frogged Washington back into the lead, 52-45, six seconds into the final quarter.

Eastern responded as it had all afternoon with a precise drive that looked like it would result in more points. Adams found Terence Grady who wove his way down to the UW 16, but while trying for a few extra yards, fumbled.

Harlan Shellabarger

The signs on the University of Washington sidelines were appropriate last Saturday as EWU quarterback Vernon Adams was hard to stop during a record-setting day in a 59-52 loss to the Pac-12 Huskies. Adams earned multiple national awards for his 7-touchdown day.

Washington's Travis Feeney recovered and returned the ball to the Husky 35 where, 13 plays later Miles scored his third touchdown of the day for a 59-45 Husky lead with 7:45 remaining.

Eastern responded with their own 13-play drive, capped with a Zach Wimberly 11-yard touchdown catch with 3:14 to play, but had just one timeout remaining and Washington was able to run out the clock.

The game was the Huskies', and their new head coach, Chris Petersen's second close escape. They edged the University of Hawaii 17-16, Aug. 30. Eastern finished with a 573-536 edge in total yardage.

Senior Quincy Forte was an all-purpose workhorse for the Eagles, rushing for 68 yards, catching five passes for 43 more and returned a pair of kickoffs for 39 yards, giving him a team-high 150 all-purpose yards.

Linebacker Ronnie Hamlin led Eastern's defense with 13 tackles.

The Eagles have a bye this week before a Saturday, Sept. 20 game at Montana State.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.

 

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