WEED – The College of the Siskiyous Eagles opened up Mid-Empire Conference play with a 58-49 win over the Feather River Golden Eagles, on Saturday. While the score might suggest a shootout, it was more like complete and utter domination for the first quarter by COS, and then a wild ride to victory. COS scored 28 points in the opening quarter, Feather River scored 22 in the fourth.

The Eagles drove 64 yards on the opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. The impressive drive included a spectacular one-handed catch by Darius Davis for 37 yards, which set up a 3-yard TD run by Patrick Lunney.

It took the COS defense just two plays to get the ball back in the hands of the offense, when KC Swain recovered a Feather River fumble on the COS 46.

Eagle QB Aqura Brown completed three passes on the short drive—one to Lunney for 13 yards, another to Anthony Young for seven yards, and the TD strike to Young for eight yards. Justin Ecklin added the PAT, making it 14-0, half away through the first quarter.

The Eagle defense stuffed Feather River on its next possession, with Michael Seifert and George Trenton combining on a tackle for a loss of four yards on first down. Steven Butrick came up with a sack for a 3-yard loss, and then had a tackle for a 1-yard loss. Again, the defense gave the offense a short field, with the Eagles setting up shop on the Feather River 48. On third-and-nine, Brown hit Young with a pass for a 47-yard TD. Add in the PAT and it was 21-0, with 2:53 left in the quarter. At that point the question was: how best to describe the Feather River defense…toast or Swiss cheese?

Lunney made it look like Swiss cheese, when he raced for a 43-yard TD on the first play of the Eagles next possession, increasing the Eagle lead to 28-0, with 1:15 left in quarter one.

Feather River then decided to bring butter-fingers to the Eagle feast, putting the ball on the ground for the second time. The fumble was recovered by COS, and set up the COS offense up at the Feather River 38, to start the second quarter.

This time, Feather River’s defense stepped up and stopped the Eagle drive at the 10-yard-line. COS attempted a FG, but Ecklin’s try was wide, leaving it 28-0 for the Eagles.

Feather River took over on its 20-yard-line, and promptly marched to the COS 19. But, once again, the COS defense came through, when they recovered a fumble at the COS 19. COS, however, went three-and-out and punted.

The Golden Eagles finally got off the ground with a 61 yard scoring drive, capped by an 18-yard run, cutting the COS lead to 28-7, with 7:25 left in the second quarter.

Fourteen seconds later, Davis was celebrating in the Feather River end zone, after a 90-yard kick return—Swiss cheese.

Feather River responded with a 74-yard TD drive. The PAT failed, making it 34-13 at the half.

Eagle Aaron Sinnott boomed the second half kickoff into the end zone for a touchback. The poor starting field position for Feather River didn’t seem to hurt the Golden Eagles, only slow them down, as the mounted a nine-play 80 yard drive for a TD, The PAT was missed again, but the COS lead was cut to 15 points, at 34-19.

After the kick off, COS began at its 25. From there, it became the Brown & Davis show, as the two accounted for all 75 yards of the scoring drive. Brown hit Davis for 47 yards on the first play. Then, Brown picked up five yards on the ground, before passing to Davis for the final 23 yards and a TD. The PAT was good and the Eagles led 41-19.

“I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to win,” said Brown after the game.

After the Eagles recovered a fumble on a sack by Wesley Webster at the Feather River 30, Brown connected with Davis for a 30-yard TD play, increasing the lead to 48-19.

It took one play for the Eagles to get back on offense, as Keyvus McKenzie caused a fumble, and Swain made the recovery on the Feather River 46.

The COS drive stalled at the 14-yard-line, and the Eagles brought in Sinnott for a 31-yard field goal attempt. The kick split the uprights, and had distance to spare, making the score 51-19, with 4:05 left in the third quarter.

With a 32-point lead, the game seemed to be in the bag. Ah, not so fast said Feather River, scoring less than three minutes later and adding a 2-point conversion, making it 51-27, at the end of three quarters.

COS added a final TD a little over four minutes into the fourth quarter, after the defense recovered their sixth Feather River fumble of the game at the Golden Eagle 39. Brown passed 24 yards to Klaus Geier for the score, extending COS’ lead to 31 points, 58-27.

But, the game still wasn’t over.

Feather River scored TDs on its next three possessions, including one with 16 seconds remaining in the game. With the score 58-49, the Golden Eagles tried and failed on a 2-point conversion, which would have cut COS’ lead to a TD and PAT.

Feather River’s onside kick attempt was unsuccessful and COS took a knee to end the contest.

Following the game, COS Coach Eric Young was in a jovial mood, joking with new COS President, Randall Lawrence.

“The offense was able to get going today. We probably need to finish a little better on defense. We didn’t want any one of our 50 fans going home early. We try to keep them here as long as we can,” quipped Young.