Hawks fall to Ravens in rematch of small-schools state title game

EIELSON AFB — The final numbers on the scoreboard at Buck Nystrom Field were 28-7 in favor of the Eielson High School football team.

However, the numbers didn't seem to tell the complete story of Eielson's win over the Houston Hawks in the Division III (small schools) Aurora Conference game on Eielson Air Force Base on Saturday afternoon.

The Ravens emerged on top from a survival contest against the same program that Eielson defeated in last year's Division III state championship game at Palmer High School.

"It is a survivor's contest ... and our defense did save us a lot,'' said Eielson's Zach Paul, a senior offensive lineman, linebacker, punter and kicker.

"We need to work a lot on our offense and it looks like we need to do a little bit more conditioning to keep our hearts and our adreneline running the entire four quarters of the game,'' added Paul, who converted four point-after kicks and recovered a blocked punt that led to a touchdown for the Ravens (4-1, 2-0 Aurora).

Ravens head coach David DeVaughn described the Hawks as a "big, physical team."

"And that's not who we are,'' DeVaughn said, "and sometimes you feel like BBs off a battleship."

Houston (3-2, 1-1 Aurora) also had more players on its roster Saturday — 38 to Eielson's 19.

"These guys (Eielson) have a great work ethic and they stuck to it,'' DeVaughn said. "They got things done and made a couple of big plays, and our defense played out of their minds."

Jerimiah Brown was responsible for three big plays, as the Eielson senior running back compiled a game-best 179 yards on nine carries with three touchdowns.

The Hawks defense had contained Brown during a scoreless first quarter. He broke the scoreless tie with a 31-yard burst along the right sideline with 7:08 in left in the second quarter.

"The big thing was staying in our blocks. We had the holes (in the first quarter) but they just weren't lasting long enough,'' Brown said.

At the 4:02 mark of the second quarter, Brown peeled off a 49-yard touchdown run that included him spinning off a Hawks defender near the 1-yard line.

One of those moments which Eielson's defense, to which DeVaughn alluded, played out its minds occured early in the fourth quarter.

Houston ended the third at the Eielson 45 after Hawks senior quarterback Terry Hershman threw an 8-yards pass to fellow senior Silas Ross.

Six plays later with Houston having first down at the Eielson 23, Ravens sophomore defensive back Christian Bolton intercepted a pass near the right sideline that was intended for Ross.

Bolton returned the ball to the Ravens 15, from where Brown hit a hole on the right side of Eielson's offensive line and sprinted 85 yards into the end zone with 8:53 left in the fourth quarter.

"Our fullback, Jaydenn (Manibusan), kicked out the end perfectly and it was one little cut and it was wide open. Perfect hole," Brown said.

In the third quarter, Manibusan had set up a 21-0 lead for Eielson with a 7-yard run with 9:31 left in the quarter. Manibusan's touchdown also was courtesy of a key defensive play by the Ravens.

Houston at fourth and 17 yards to go from its 11-yard line, when junior linebacker Jiro Dobashi-Noa blocked the Hawks punt and Paul recovered the carom.

"I just saw the ball, picked it up and I thought it was really close to the end zone,'' Paul said.

"Blocked punt, might well as take advantage of every second we've got because Houston is a tough team and we could see them again (in the playoffs). We're going to have to take every chance we can get," Paul added.

Houston, after the kickoff after Brown's 85-yard score, capped a 17-play, 68-yard drive with a 3-yard bulldozing run by senior Will Croghan with 1:52 left in the game.

"That last drive was a lot of character in the kids and a lot of heart,'' Hawks head coach Glenn Nelson said. "We told them to play good football, the refs aren't going to throw any flags on this drive, and just go down and be physical and you're going to get into the end zone. And they did just that."

The teams combined for 137 yards in penalties — Houston seven for 65 yards and Eielson nine for 72.

Noah Plumb, a senior running back, led the Hawks with 19 carries for 90 yards and Croghan had 51 yards on 11 carries.

Eielson junior Ryan Armour and Houston senior Robert Riter each had interceptions inside the red zone during the closing seconds of the second quarter.