Eagles fall to Dayton at home

SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Eagles football team fell 46-16 against Dayton on Friday, putting their record at 1-1 for the season. 

“We came out slow and then once we got it to 30-8 we played them even from then on out,” said Eagles head coach Garrett Devine. “I felt like it was a pretty evenly matched team for us, but they came out really hot, and they had a good game plan, and we just didn’t come out hot.” 

During the first half the Eagles gave up a kick return touchdown and had a couple of turnovers that contributed to Dayton's strong 30-8 lead by the end of the first half.  

Coming back from halftime, the Eagles’ defense was able to hold back Dayton’s offense, only allowing one score in the third and fourth quarters each. The Eagles themselves scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter with a run from Boderick Maharjan, but it was not enough to overcome their point deficit, which ended the game 16-46. 

“I think coming off the big win last week that we had, we kind of overlooked (Dayton) a little bit,” said Devine. “We weren’t sure what kind of team they were going to be, but they came out and they punched us in the mouth and we took a while to wake up.” 

The big lesson for the Eagles to take from Friday’s game is that the team needs to work on ball security, along with general blocking and tackling. The coach said these issues were something the team struggled with, mostly in the first half, and picked up on in the second half. 

“We didn’t get off to a good start blocking-wise. We’ve struggled with winning the turnover battle a little bit and then just tackling,” he said. “I thought we tackled well in the second quarter, in the first quarter we missed some tackles and it kind of bit us a little bit.” 

The Eagles also had two big injuries on the field, with Izaiah Coppenbarger going down in the second quarter, where he was later found to have bruised his ribs after a strong tackle from Dayton. In the fourth quarter, quarterback Chris Heaps was taken off the field due to a concussion. 

As the Eagles head into a bye this week, Devine said the main goal will be to get his players healthy and have the rest work on the fundamentals. Both Coppenbarger and Heaps will have a chance to play in the next game, depending on how their recovery comes along by then. 

“I think we have a really good shot to make some noise in league play, we just have to get everything to come together,” he said. 

The Eagles' next game will be at home Oct. 3, where they will face Waterville-Mansfield at 7 p.m. 

BOX SCORE: 

SPLK: 8-0-0-8: 16
DYTN: 30-0-8-8: 46 

    Broderick Maharjan from the Eagles runs in to add two on top of his touchdown run during the fourth quarter against Dayton. Head coach Garrett Devine said the Eagles have a very good shot at success as they head into league play.
  

    Eagles’ sophomore Robert Aldana receives the kickoff and runs down the field against Dayton. Head coach Garrett Devine said working on ball security will be one of the main focuses at practice this week.
  

    Eagles senior Abram Cox tackles a Dayton runner during Friday night’s game. Head coach Garrett Devine said while the team struggled in the beginning, they stepped up their game in the last couple quarters.
  

    Quarterback Chris Heaps runs with the ball during the Eagles’ game against Dayton. Heaps was taken out in the fourth quarter due to a concussion but is expected to make a return when the team comes off their bye week.