CARLISLE — Eaton football coach Brad Davis and his coaching staff have been trying to bring back a ‘winners mentality’ to the program.
The Eagles are getting closer, but continued to come up short.
Last Thursday (Oct. 19), at Carlisle, was another example as the Eagles lost to the Indians 28-20.
“We’ve kind of been preaching a winners mentality for the last several weeks now. When things aren’t going our way to not just sit back and just take it, you have to want to make a change,” he said after seeing his team fall to 3-6 this season.
A week ago, Eaton lost by the same score at Brookville.
“Another tough one again. Some issues with consistency. We’ve been battling that all year. There again we have some opportunities to make some plays, be it a block, a catch or a tackle or whatever the case may be,” Davis said. ” We’re just not taking full advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves. When you play a quality opponent you have to do that. You have to do that in order to be successful.”
Eaton took advantage of opportunities early against the Indians.
After the Eagles defense forced a Carlisle turnover, the offense needed just one play to give Eaton the lead. Junior running back Caleb Puckett scored on a 14-yard run with 8:45 to play in the first quarter. After Anna Black added the extra point, Eaton held a 7-0 lead.
Carlisle needed less than two minutes to tie the game as quarterback Jake Moore scored on a 16-yard run.
The Eagles defense stepped up again early in the second quarter as senior Chip Parker picked up a Carlisle fumble and raced 55 yards for a touchdown to give Eaton a 13-7 lead with 11:34 to play in the first half.
The Indians, though, scored the next three touchdowns for a 28-13 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
Eaton closed to within 28-20 on a 14-yard TD pass from Ryan Venable to Zac Schmidt with 8:36 left in the game.
Puckett finished with 10 carries for 100 yards rushing before leaving the game early in the third quarter with an injury. Venable completed 7-of-11 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown and an interception.
“They played hard. Carlisle played harder than us down the stretch,” Davis said. “At times we looked pretty good.”
Davis said the program still has work to do to get back to it winning ways.
“We still have a ways to go. I think winning’s a skill. Winning’s a learned skill and not having success over the last couple of years, I think it’s hard for some of these guys that haven’t been around a lot of success to have that winners mentality that we’re trying preach over and over again,” Davis said.
Eaton will close out the season by hosting Valley View (9-0, 6-0 SWBL Southwestern Division) on Friday, Oct. 27. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
