Southern Door fell in their homecoming football matchup with Oconto 23-20 on Friday night in Brussels on U102.1.
The first quarter would be scoreless, but that was only in part to a big defensive stand by the Eagle defense. The forced the Blue Devils to punt on the opening drive, but William Price would mishandle the punt, allowing Oconto to take over 1st and goal. On 4th and goal, Lance Veeser would record a sack, and give the Eagles a little breathing room. Veeser, and a return of a (mostly) healthy Landon Vandertie would lead a Eagle defense to limit the damage done by 4 different Eagle turnovers.
A chaotic second quarter would open with the Eagle's running back Raymond Paye rushing for a 14-yard score, and with a missed extra point attempt, found the Eagles up 6-0. Oconto would answer with a pair of rushing touchdowns by Finn Brady and a 6-14 lead. The teams would swap scores from there, Paye from 42 yards out, and Brady from 15 setting the score to 14-20. In the closing seconds of the half, Southern Door would find themselves with a goal to go situation, but after a sack and no way to stop the clock, watched time run out on the half.
The third quarter was as quiet as the first, entering the fourth still set at 14-20. Oconto would only be able to add a 20-yard field goal to go up 14-23. The Eagles would get the ball with under 5 minutes to go, needing 2 scores. They would march down the field in less than 2 minutes, capping the drive with a 21-yard toss from Tallon Mueller to Lauden Berg on the sideline in the endzone. A failed 2-point run by Mueller left the Eagles trailing by 3, but with a full slew of timeouts available.
Defense would give the Eagles a chance, giving the Eagles the ball back with a pair of timeouts yet available. Sadly it was not meant to be for the Eagles, as the pressure would get to Tallon Mueller on fourth down forcing a turnover with just over a minute to go.
The Eagles next matchup will come on Friday October 3rd against Kewaunee. You can tune is as Jacob Nate will take you through the action, beginning with a 6:45 pregame show, and a 7:00pm kickoff on U102.1 and NEW Radio Sports Network.
