Cheney can't find end zone in 6-0 loss to Eisenhower

The Cheney High School Blackhawks football team had their first true Friday Night Lights experience at home last Friday, Sept. 22, against Eisenhower. Despite holding the Cadets to only six points, the Blackhawks took a 6-0 loss.

Cheney was held to 151 total yards on offense with 76 passing yards and 75 rushing. EHS had 316 total yards in offense, but the Blackhawks’ defense only allowed one touchdown.

“We learned that we can grind it out,” head coach Bobby Byrd said. “Obviously we would have liked to score, but we played four quarters of good defense. There are some simple things here and there that we need to fix, but we are well on our way.”

Towards the beginning of the game, Cheney showed some spark as Trace Vilandre recovered a forced fumble with 53 seconds left in the first quarter.

Jacob McGourin also livened up the Blackhawks as he collected three sacks in the first half of the game.

Coming out of halftime, CHS fumbled the ball on the first drive of the third quarter but the defense followed it up with back-to-back tackles by Hunter Pohl and an interception by Peyton Putney.

“I thought Jacob McGourin and Hunter Pohl did a good job defensively,” Byrd said. “Tayvin Ewen also stepped up. I am very happy with those guys.”

The lone score of the game came in the third quarter when quarterback, Drew Korengay ran from the Blackhawk’s 10-yard line. The Cadets attempted a two-point conversion, but Mekhai Goodloe made an interception.

Goodloe also stepped up on the other side of the ball as he earned his first varsity start at the quarterback position.

“Mekhai did a good job with his first start,” Byrd added.

The defense created one last opportunity for the offense in the fourth quarter as Thomas Baycroft made an interception, but the Blackhawks were not able to find the end zone.

Next up for Cheney is the first Great Northern League game of the season at East Valley High School tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 29).

“The greatest part of league is that it is basically a brand new season,” Byrd said. “We are attacking it with a playoff mentality because the district tournament starts this week for us. We have to have a playoff type mind set.”

The matchup between Cheney and East Valley has a kickoff of 7 p.m.

Grace Pohl can be reached at grace@cheneyfreepress.com.