Local Sports

Golden Eagles stand alone as kings of EOAC

SALINEVILLE - The United Eagles have become a model of consistency, with four straight Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference championships and seven consecutive postseason appearances. On Friday night, they capped the regular season with a 42-6 win over the Southern Indians to clinch the title outright.

The Eagles improved to 9-1 overall and finished 6-0 in the league. The Eagles have won seven EOAC titles, either shared or outright. It also marks the Eagles’ 16th league championship in tprogram history and eighth under coach DJ Ogilvie.

"We're feeling great. Four years, back-to-back-t-back. It feels great to be able to do what we have been doing," saidEagles senior quarterback Tom Brown. "It shows how tough our team is, and it shows that we are really strong."

"I'm real proud of these seniors. They have been together for four years and worked their butts off and are great kids. They are great leaders, and being a part of four championships is incredible for a class," Ogilvie stated. "In our school history, that has never happened. We talked about it all off-season; they would be the first one."

The Eagles will host a Division VI playoff game against Grand Valley this Friday.

The Indians close the regular season with a 2-8 mark and a 2-4 record in the EOAC. The Indians have suffered two consecutive sub-.500 seasons following seven consecutive winning campaigns.

"It was David and Goliath, you know. We knew what we were going up against. We knew we had to play totally free football," Indians coach Jimmy Malone said. "That's a great football team (United), and they showed it all year in the league."

The Eagles wasted no time in taking control of the contest following a quick three-and-out by the Indians; the Eagles scored on their fifth play on offense with M'Kyan Haynes scoring on a 39-yard run through the middle of the Indians’ defense. That gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead at the 7:51 mark of the opening frame.

They scored on their first six offensive possessions as they raced out to a 35-0 lead by halftime. They added a touchdown run on their first possession of the second half with a running clock to close out their scoring.

Haynes scored on two long runs, while Brown carried the ball the most for the Eagles, running for 124 yards in the game and three touchdowns. Brown connected on both pass attempts he made for another 116 yards.

"I got to play as a sophomore at receiver, and I have started varsity ever since," Brown said. "We have a lot of playmakers, and everyone keeps their heads down, and we are really strong."

Following Haynes long opening scoring run, Brown found the end zone on the Eagles next three possessions. The first was an equally impressive 56-yard jaunt to provide the Eagles a 14-0 advantage with only 2:34 remaining in the first quarter.

Despite two long punts by the Indians’ Callen Bettis, the Eagles scored on an 80-yard and 81-yard scoring drive to take a commanding 28-0 lead. The first took the Eagles just 4 plays, with Brown plowing into the end zone from a yard out at the 11:09 mark of the second quarter.

The Eagles’ second long scoring drive took one additional play as Brown once again scored on a 1-yard plunge. The score was set up by a 78-yard pass from Brown to Jordan Kidder. That gave the Eagles a 28-point advantage with 6:30 remaining in the first half.

The Eagles’ defense then made a statement with an interception of an errant pass by the Indians quarterback Jack Pitts as Haynes stepped in front of the receiver to provide them with the ball at the Indians’ 25. Three plays later, Austin Cresna scored from 8 yards out to give the Eagles a 35-0 halftime lead.

"Our guys stepped up, and in the first half we were playing with them. Yeah, they got some runs, but we were still going toe-to-toe. I'm proud of my seniors. That's the way to go out by giving everything that they got," Malone praised his team's effort in the game.

The Indians caught the Eagles off guard to start the second half with an onside kick, which they would drive to the Eagles’ 25 before a costly turnover. Just before the Indians fumbled the ball, Haynes recorded his 273rd tackle to set a United career record.

The Eagles made them pay for the miscue when Haynes raced 78 yards up the middle again for the Eagles’ final touchdown on the night. He finished with 121 yards on just three carries in the game.

"We talk about a United football player being different," Ogilvie said. "Lifting different, working out different, playing different, just having higher standards. I can't speak for the other programs, but I'm proud of our kids and how hard they work, and again, I'm proud of their efforts."

The Indians would fight to the end, however, as they took advantage of a short field following an Eagles turnover on downs at their own 40. Logan Mettenberger scored around right end on a 6-yard run with just over two minutes remaining on a running clock, closing the scoring in the contest.

"There are some big guys that we are definitely going to miss. No matter what that scoreboard said, they never quit, and they kept going at it," Malone said. "Once we are allowed, we will have the weight room open and get these kids in to get bigger and stronger."

U: 14-21-7-0--42

S: 0- 0-0-6-- 6

SCORING


U - M'Kyan Haynes 39 run (Liam Jones kick)
U - Tom Brown 56 run (Brady Pierson kick)


U - Brown 1 run (Jones kick)


U - Brown 1 run (Pierson kick)


U - Austin Ceresna 8 run (Jones kKick)


U - Haynes 78 run (Pierson kick)


S - Logan Mettenberger 6 run (kick failed)

TEAM STATS

UNITED

First downs: 11; Total yards: 424; Rushes-yards: 22-308, Passing: 116; Comp-Att-Int. 2-2-0; Punts 0; Fumbles-Lost 0; Penalties-Yards 4-29

SOUTHERN

First downs: 8, Total yards: 152, Rushes-yards: 29-77, Passing: 75; Comp-Att-Int. 9-16-1; Punts 4-41.5; Fumbles-Lost 1-1; Penalties-Yards 2-26

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING--United, Tom Brown 9-124, M'Kyan Haynes 3-121, Austin Cresna 4-40, Rohan Kelly 3-25; Southern, Jaylen Pitts 9-24, Logan Mettenberger 11-18, Chase Utt 7-18.

PASSING--United, Tom Brown, 2-2-0-116, Nick Gruszecki 0-0-0; Southern, Jack Pitts 9-16-1-116.

RECEIVING--United, Jordan Kidder 1-78, Kota Shasteen 1-38; Southern, Jaymen Maines 4-36, Jaylen Pitts 3-25.

INTERCEPTIONS--United, M'Kyan Haynes.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES--United, Kota Shasteen.