Sports

By Andrew Ferrell

Just when you thought the Churubusco Eagles were a running team, you were proven wrong Friday night as the Eagles mixed in their passing attack with their running game.  It was a display of offensive firepower for the Eagles, as they picked up the hose and doused the Prairie Heights Panthers with a 53-20 victory.

“Last week we threw the ball three times and didn’t complete any,” Churubusco head coach Lee Etzler said. “We feel we have the capability to throw the ball a little bit and we need to do it once and awhile to back people off.”

In the first quarter, putting points on the scoreboard came often and early for the Eagles when quarterback Kyle Monk (93 passing yards, 1 TD) connected with junior Hunter Nicodemus for a big pass play that brought them within striking distance.  On the next play, Monk connected with senior Jordan Hamilton for a 36-yard touchdown reception, giving 'Busco the 6-0 lead with 9:02 left in the quarter.

After forcing a 3rd and out on the Panther second drive, 'Busco unleased a blaze of fire, from Hamilton and junior running back Kyle Mathewson, that consumed the Panthers defense.  Hamilton and Mathewson combined for 276 yards and five of Busco's eight touchdowns.

It was Hamilton who walked into the endzone towards the end of the first quarter on a 4th and goal stance, extending the 'Busco lead 14-0.  With 35 seconds left on the clock, sophomore Josh LeFever returned punt for 70-yards and the score, handing the Eagles a 22-0 first quarter lead.

The Churubusco offensive fire continued to spread during the second quarter as their running game pounded their way to the endzone on three consecutive drives. Hamilton scored first on a walk-in run, then Mathewson broke a 72-yard run for the score, and Hamilton followed with another scoot into the endzone, giving the Eagles a 41-6 halftime lead.

“It’s extremely important for us to threaten at more than one position,” Etzler noted. “We feel we have the kids to do that and we showed it a little bit tonight. It shows people that they have more than one person to defend.”

The fire started to die down a little in the second half for Busco, as the reserve team picked up plenty of experience, completing a 4th and goal in the redzone giving them a 47-6 lead in the middle of the third quarter.

Both teams' defenses battle back and forth forcing each other to punt, until early in the fourth, the Panther's quarterback Brennen North completed a 74-yard pass to junior Lance Feeney for the 47-13 score.

As time ran out in the fourth, Eagle sophomore Stuart Hilsmier pushed his way in for the score and North again hooked up with Feeney for the final 53-20 Churubusco victory.

 “There was the potential for us to come out flat tonight and we wanted to address that early,” Etzler concluded. “We came out and played hard and they (Prairie Heights) gave us some things with throwing the ball.”

The Eagles improved to 3-0 on the season, making this their 5th consecutive 3-0 start. 'Busco comes back home next Friday to host the Eastside Blazers at 7:30pm.