H.S. Football: Eagles jump out, hold off Eddies

AUBURN — Penalties and mistakes are touchy subjects for Edward Little coach Dave Sterling — especially when turnovers cost the Red Eddies football games.

Second-half penalties hurt the Red Eddies’ chances overpower Windham after falling behind by 16 in the first half. Despite back-to back touchdowns, turnovers caused the Red Eddies to sputter late in the second half as the Eagles slipped away with a 23-12 Class A football victory on a rainy Friday night at Walton Field.

“Conditions didn’t help us in the second half,” Sterling said. “When you play a good team like that, and you make mistakes, and bad conditions, they take advantage of that.

“We have to keep ourselves mentally focused the entire game. We have to clear up mistakes. Mistakes put us behind early in the game. If we can cut down on those mistakes, we are a very good football team.”

In the third quarter, the Red Eddies were well on their way on a drive that featured EL quarterback Ian Mileikis keepers that totaled 25 yards, but EL coughed up the ball and the turnover allowed Windham to march right toward the end zone. Dylan Kozar led the charge when rushed for 28 yards to get the Eagles to the 4-yard line where Liam Sullivan took it from there and scored. Josh Duguay kicked the extra point and Windham was sitting pretty with a 23-0 lead.

But the Red Eddies suddenly sprung to life after the rain stopped and the moon made an appearance in the fourth quarter. Mileikis hit Jeff Clark with a 31 yard pass to bring EL to the 35-yard line, and the EL quarterback threw a 6-yarder to Johnny Boyd and placed his team on the 29. Mileikis decided to the ball in from there for touchdown with 11:20 left game. EL went for two, but the pass failed.

The Red Eddies put a stop Windham again and got the ball back on the 40-yard line after Windham punted. Mileikis found Hunter Martin open and they connected for a 44-yard touchdown pass with 8:19 left in the game.

But the Red Eddies’ offense couldn’t produce a third touchdown after Windham’s offense held on to the ball for the rest of the game. EL committed six penalties in the second half for 60 yards.

In the first quarter, Windham took control and scored on their first possession. Sullivan set up the touchdown when he rushed for 33 yards. That’s when quarterback Tyler Johnson connected with Sullivan for a 58-yard pass 7:11 minutes in the first half. Duguay kicked the extra point and Windham was out in front. The Eagles weren’t down yet when EL got the ball back on the 4-yard line. Windham caused a safety when EL was pushed back into the end zone, giving the Eagles a 9-0 lead.

Windham put another TD on the board the when Edward Little fumbled. It took just four plays and Sullivan scored again on a 1-yard run. Duguay was called to kick the extra point and he split the uprights again.

For the night, the Red Eddies, rushed for 135 yards and went to the air 12 times for 90 yards.

: Edward Little’s Caleb Fecteau, right, and Cameron Cormier lunge after Windham’s Liam Sullivan in the first half of their game Friday in Auburn. Sullivan was able to slip away from the two, but was later tackled by their teammates.

: Ian Mileikis is wrapped up by Ethan Petty after a short gain in the first half of their game Friday in Auburn. Wet conditions caused a lot of missed hand-offs and passes by both teams.

: It takes three Red Eddies, from bottom to top, Hunter Martin, Jeff Clark, and Daniel Williams to take down Liam Sullivan after he slipped through the line Friday night in Auburn.

: Edward Little’s Corey Gillespie, left, and Gage St. Hilaire-Fecteau chase down Windham’s Zach Alpern in the first half of their wet game Friday night in Auburn.

: Edward Little’s Jeff Clark bobbles the wet ball before recovering his composure and making a slight run down the field against Windham on Friday in Auburn.