In double overtime, Riverdale attempted to surprise FC with a pass that appeared wide open, but J.D. Perry, ?07, batted down the ball and the Eagles won their first game, 28-27, on Sept. 22.
Throughout the first quarter both team?s defense stuffed their opponents? offense. Defense remained a powerful force for the Eagles as it allowed only 14 Cowboy points in the first four quarters. Jeremy Ramos, ?07, led the Eagles on defense with seven tackles and four assists in his first game since the previous season.
?It feels good making tackles, it?s a good confidence builder,” Ramos said. ?I was only in because our starting linebacker was sick on the sidelines. I know this week he will be in making his tackles.?
In the second quarter, Ryan Brunn, ?08, scored a touchdown on a carry, and Ryan Taylor, ?07, scored the extra point. Brunn scored three of the Eagles’ four touchdowns with 68 yards total rushing. He overcame his knee injury from the game at Bakersfield and played as running back.
?I was glad to help get our first win,” Brunn said. ?The whole team contributed, especially our offensive linemen.”
The Cowboys scored a touchdown with a two-point conversion in the third quarter. With the score 14-7, the Eagles needed a touchdown with an extra point to tie the game and roll into overtime. In the fourth quarter they scored that touchdown with a reverse pass from Daniel Kaiser, `08, to Nate Weis, `07. Aaron Ortiz, ’07, kicked the extra point as the ball bounced off the field goal post and through the uprights.
With the score 14-14 at the end of the fourth quarter, the teams were forced into overtime. The Cowboys drove for a touchdown and extra point and Brunn scored his second touchdown. Taylor kicked the extra point and, once again, the ball bounced off the post and went through the posts.
With the score still tied the teams battled into second overtime. The Eagles scored once again with Brunn and kicked in the extra point. The Cowboys answered once more to bring the score to 28-27 Eagles? lead.
In an attempt to end the game, Riverdale attempted to pass for the two-point conversion, but Perry’s knockdown sent the Eagles? players, coaches and fans on the field to celebrate the victory.
?When we won the whole team was hyper,” Paris Smith, `07, said. ?I knew that if we kept playing hard we were going to win.?
With one win under their belt, the Eagles prepare for their next game against the Fowler Redcats on Sept. 29 at Clark Intermediate in Clovis. The junior varsity will kick off at 5:30 P.M. and the varsity at 7 P.M.