Defensive struggles hurt Mountaineers
By Casey Kellas
Voice Sports Editor
Posted 10/29/2009
The Eastern Oregon Mountaineer football team dropped a close game with Montana Tech Oct. 25, losing 28-24 at Community Stadium.
The Mounties, who were ranked No. 18 in the nation going into that game, lost for the first time at home this season.
The Orediggers scored first after a nine play, 52-yard drive took them down to the 1-yard line where Skyler Knuchel punched it in putting Montana Tech on top 7-0.
EOU (6-3, 6-2 Frontier Conference) responded early in the second quarter when Chris Ware found Luis Trejo on a 2-yard pass to tie the game.
Just minutes later Ware connected with Kirk Miller on a 13-yard pass and catch to put Eastern on top 14-7.
Montana Tech tied the game up with just 1:38 remaining in the first half, before a 42-yard field goal by Thomas Akers at the end of the half put EOU up 17-14.
The Mountaineers took a 24-14 lead in the third quarter when Ware and Mike Corral hooked up on a 20-yard completion.
But for the second consecutive week, the EOU defense struggled in the second half and the Orediggers took advantage.
With seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, Montana Tech's Matt Komac hit J.T. McIntyre for a 24-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 24-21.
Then just minutes into the fourth quarter the Orediggers struck again when Knuchel broke free for a 10-yard touchdown run to put Montana Tech on top 28-24.
The Mountaineers put together a drive in the closing minutes of the game. Then with no time left on the clock Ware found Kevin Sampson at the 20-yard line. Sampson pitched ball to Rick Copsey who then pitched it to Jordan Smith at the 10-yard line.
Smith pitched the ball to Miller at the six-yard line where he was brought down to end the game.
Ware finished the game 25-for-42 for 297 yards and three touchdowns. Ware broke the school record for completions in a game and was just two attempts shy of breaking the school record for pass attempts.
Akers broke the school record for point after attempts in a season with 42.
Despite the loss, EOU is guaranteed a winning record for just the 22nd time in school history. Also the Mountaineers reached the six-win mark for just the ninth time in the 81-year history of the football program with a 40-30 win against Montana-Western Oct. 17.
Eastern Oregon will try to bounce back Oct. 31 with a game against Montana State-Northern. The game is scheduled to kick off at 12 p.m. Mountain Time in Havre, Mont.
