EATON — The Eagles scored 30 second-quarter points in front of a large and loud homecoming crowd en route to a 51-0 blanking of Middletown Madison on Friday, Sept. 24.
“Just great to have a result like this, especially on homecoming. We got to play everybody which is always nice,” Eaton coach Brad Davis said moments after his team improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Southwestern Buckeye League West Division.
The Eagles, the No. 4 ranked Division IV team in the latest AP state poll, played mostly its junior varsity players in the second half after building a 37-0 halftime lead. The second half was played with a running clock.
“[We] wanted stay focused,” Davis said. “They have some weapons certainly on that team, which it showed in the first quarter. They were playing good football in first quarter but we did what we needed to do and took care of business.”
Madison kept possession for the first five minute of the game before turning the ball over on downs, and it then took the Eagles just three plays to score.
Quarterback Brock Ebright, who completed 11-of-12 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, connected with Leslie Orr for a five-yard touchdown pass with 5:29 to play in the first quarter. Drew Michael added the first of seven extra points on the night to make it a 7-0 game.
Senior running back Aiden Williams (five carries, 29 yards in limited action) added a three-yard run for a score to give the Eagles a 14-0 lead with 10:38 remaining in the first half after Eaton’s defense forced the Mohawks to turn the ball over on downs.
On Madison’s next possession, the Mohawks were forced to punt from their own 19-yard line, but snap over the punter’s head lead to a safety for Eaton and a 16-0 lead with 7:50 left in the second quarter.
Eaton added to its lead on its next possession on a Ebright to Josh Martin 10-yard touchdown pass for a 23-0 lead.
Theo Winings followed with an interception for the Eagles, setting up Cordis Berard for a 12-yard touchdown run with 3:52 to play in the first half and push the lead to 30-0.
On the final play of the first half, Eaton senior Ashton Geoit intercepted a Madison pass and returned it for a 43-yard touchdown to give the Eagles a 37-0 lead.
“[It was a] great second quarter after somewhat of a sloppy start defensively,” Davis said. “[I’m] happy for Ashton with the pick-six after he dropped a potential interception earlier.”
Eaton opened the second half with an impressive drive as Berard (11 carries, 84 yards) added his second touchdown of the game, this time from five yards out for a 44-0 Eaton lead.
The Eagles’ final score of the night was a two-yard touchdown run by Dillon Jerdon with 9:57 remaining in the game.
Davis said the key was his team physical play and being disciplined.
“Just playing physical and being disciplined, those are the first two keys of our plan regardless of who we’re playing,” he said. “Some discipline things early on, but we got it straightened out and got caught up with what they were doing, but proud of the guys. 1-0 this week.”
Davis gave a shout out to Eaton’s student section after the game.
”Our student section has done an incredible job this year. A little shout out to those guys,” he said. “The guys love it. They can feel when they’re in the game and school spirit’s high and it’s good for everybody right now.”
Eaton will visit Brookville (5-1, 2-1 SWBL West) for a key SWBL contest on Friday, Oct. 1.
“Proud of the guys for taking care of business. It’s always a little extra special winning on Homecoming. 1-0 for this week,” Davis said. “Now we’re on to Brookville.”
