Eagles explode for four late scores to down California
Down 13-7 with one second left in the first half, Colby Phillips gave the SoBoCo Eagles a huge lift with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
But the Pintos came back on their first drive in the third quarter to re-take the lead at 19-14. After the Eagles got a fourth down stop by linebacker Tanner Smith, SoBoCo got a fourth-and-three, 41-yard Spencer Taggart-to-Zane Safely TD pass and run play that put the Eagles ahead for good 20-19.
Cooper Mange takes the handoff from Spencer Taggart as Charlie Smith looks to make a block. The Eagles rushing game had 207 yards in Friday’s win over the Pintos.
SoBoCo steamrolled the Pintos in the fourth quarter, scoring four times on their way to a 48-25 Tri-County Conference win.
“I think this is the first comeback we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said coach Trent Tracy. “We keep telling the kids to not worry about the scoreboard, just play each play and they did that tonight.”
The Eagles struggled in the first half – but took the one-point lead to the locker room with two kickoff returns for TDs. Jackson Sartain took the opening kick 95 yards right up the middle for a score. After the Pintos took the lead with 1.8 seconds left before half, Phillips took the kickoff, followed a crushing block by Seth Mueller, angled towards the sidelines and out-ran the Pintos to the end zone.
“That was just a huge play for us,” said Tracy, “but we knew we would have to be better in the second half.”
After the Pintos took the lead early in the third quarter, the Eagles offense kicked into gear and the defense began creating some turnovers.
After Safely’s score, the Eagles fell on a Pintos fumble and on first down from the Pintos 46, Sartain went around the right side for a score to make it 27-10.
“Zane did a great job of staying with his route,” said Eagles quarterback Spencer Taggart. “We don’t practice that, but he just kept going downfield and got open.”
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