Wisconsin Lutheran Tops Eureka on Homecoming, 42-14
EUREKA – The Eureka football team dropped a 42-14, Homecoming game against Wisconsin Lutheran on a chilly night at McKinzie Field.
The Red Devils fell into a hole in the second quarter and couldn't find a way to get back into the game from there.
Eureka's defense got off to a nice start, forcing back-to-back turnovers to start the game. The offense, however, struggled to move the ball at times and execute in game-changing opportunities.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Warriors got on the board by scoring on a blocked punt. A couple of possessions later, they scored again after an interceptions gave them a short field and took a 14-0 advantage.
The Red Devils responded with a 6-2yard touchdown pass from Kaeden Frazier (Clarkston, Wash./Clarkston/Presentation) to Sebastian Hill (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) with 5:17 left in the second half. It was the junior wide receiver's seventh touchdown reception of the season and the 19th of his career.
The Warriors defense then came up with another interception and scored on the following drive to make it a two-score game again. They stopped the Red Devils again on the next possession and scored again to make it 28-7 before halftime.
In the second half, Eureka drove 63 yards on nine to plays to the Wisconsin Lutheran 6 before fumbling near the end zone and losing the ball again. Wisconsin Lutheran quarterback Bryce Barbrian found Landon Neeley for an 80-yard touchdown pass on the very next play.
The Warriors further extended the lead with a pick-6 by Xavion Allen later in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Red Devils found the end zone again with an 86-yard sprint by freshman Kail Lambert (Washington, Ill./Washington) . It was his first career touchdown as a Red Devil.
He finished with a team-high 92 rushing yards. Fullback Ben Bernabei (Peru, Ill./St. Bede Academy) added 73 and Jewgrante Abraham (Chicago, Ill./Schurz) notched 56 on seven carries in the fourth quarter.
Alex Glover (Bethalto, Ill./Bethalto) recorded a team-high and a career-high 95 receiving yards on six catches. Frazier threw for 219 yards on 13-for-33 passing and had one touchdown and three interceptions while getting sacked seven times on a tough day in the pocket.
Defensively, Brendan Durr (Washington, Ill./Washington) finished with a team-high six total tackles. Garrett Wayne (Clinton, Ill./Clinton) had five tackles, including a sack, a forced fumble and two tackles for loss. Matthew Senteney (Kewanee, Ill./Wethersfield) and Ezzelldin Sabah (Tinley Park, Ill./Tinley Park) each had five tackles as well.
Next Saturday, Eureka (4-2, 2-2 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference) will look to bounce back in a 1 p.m. meeting at Concordia Chicago (0-6, 0-4 SLIAC).
