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SPORTS
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sports
• november 2, 2011
EWU Sports in Brief
Eagles’ hopes dashed after loss to Vikings
Brannan
Women’s soccer players earns Big Sky honors — Senior Whitney Brannan was selected for the All-Big Sky Second Team. This is Brannan’s third year as a conference allstar. Senior Dashia Huff was selected for the All-Big Sky Honorable Mention team. Joining Huff are juniors Lauren Jacobsen and Jamie Walker, and freshman Katie Cashman. To see how the Eagles played in their last season game, turn to page 9. Volleyball moves to third in Big Sky Conference — Eastern’s volleyball team won back to back games against Montana, 3-2, and Montana State, 3-1, Oct. 28-29. According to goeags.com, the victory against Montana marked the 16th consecutive victory over the Grizzlies at Reese Court, while the win over the Bobcats was Eastern’s 11th time defeating them at home. Senior Lindsey Petroni had 30 digs for both games, junior Laney Brown had a career-high of 19 digs in the game against Montana. The team’s next game will be Nov. 3 against Northern Arizona. Kellerman snags second Player of the Week award— Junior Cora Kellerman earned her second Big Sky Conference Player of the Week award, for the week of Oct. 31. She made a career high 25 kills during Eagles’ match against Montana. She currently leads Eastern in kills with 291, and is second in points with 316. Mitchell leading FCS in passing— Senior quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell currently leads the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in passing yards per game with 352.89. He is ahead of Lehigh’s Chris Lum who is at 352 yards per game and Murray State’s Casey Brockman, who is at 313.38. Eastern currently ranks 23rd in overall offense. Eastern player wins goalkeeper award — Sophomore Jason Greenwell was selected as British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League’s (BCIHL) Goaltender of the Month. Greenwell made 38 saves in the game against Thompson Rivers University and 42 stops in the first game against Trinity Western University.
Photo by Aaron Malmoe Nicholas Edwards had nine receptions for 166 yards and three touchdowns against the Vikings. He currently has 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and 14 touchdowns for the season.
Portland snaps four win streak By Fedor Gaponenko staff writer
fgaponenko76@gmail.com
It’s the fourth quarter and a hushed crowd of 9,003 watches as the defending champion Eagles’ playoff hopes slip away. Star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and the EWU receivers accounted for 440 yards and four Eagles touchdowns, yet that wasn’t enough to overcome a punishing Portland State running game. The Vikings compiled 338 yards while wearing down the defense and crowd of Eastern fans. The first quarter started out being very messy for the Eagles as the patchwork offensive line was caught holding on a big opening run and allowed four quick sacks on Mitchell. A forced fumble by
Edwards gains national honors By Sarah MacDonald contributing writer
sarah.macdonald@eagles.ewu.edu
Junior wide receiver Nicholas Edwards was awarded several NCAA Football Championship Subdivision honors, including Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Oct. 24. He was The Sports Network/Fathead.com co-National player of the week and National Performer and National Wide Receiver of the Week from College Football Performance awards for the week of Oct. 24 . Edwards tied EWU’s school record of four touchdown receptions on Oct. 22 at Sacramento State, helping the Eagles seize the win in over-time, 42-35. Three of the four touchdowns were scored in the fourth quarter. “It feels good to get the recognition but we won a National Championship last year. All the awards don’t really mean anything, I’d rather have another ring
the Eagles’ punt team and good red-zone defense held the Vikings to a field goal on one drive and stopped them on the one yard line, keeping the game from getting out of hand early. The Eagles finally scored, driving 99 yards in three plays, 96 of which came on a short pass over the middle to Greg Herd, who turned it up field for the second longest touchdown pass in Eagles football history. After a quick Vikings three-and-out, the Eagles opened the second quarter with another long touchdown pass, this time 59 yards from Mitchell to Nicholas Edwards. The Eagles were ahead with a score of 14-3. Other than a second touchdown pass to Edwards, which momentarily put the Eagles in front, the remainder of the second quarter belonged to the Vikings. They kept chewing away at the on my finger.” Edwards said. According to Edward’s teammates, the recognition is well deserved. “It has a lot to do with how he prepares. Nick is that Jerry Rice type of guy, he puts in all the time necessary and more,” said senior quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. “He stays in the weight room, he stays in the film room and he’s always preparing for what is coming up against him.” Edwards said he and Mitchell have a great chemistry on the field. “We study a lot together. We have a common knowledge for the game and we’re both so dedicated. We know what will happen before the play even starts,” said Edwards. Mitchell, who also feels the chemistry, said, “He gets with me and sees how I feel about routes and how I want to run. I think that’s why we connect so well.” According to wide receiver, Greg Herd, Edwards is one of the hardest working players on the team. Edwards-page 6
scoreboard with field goals and at the morale of the fans. Especially when quarterback Connor Kavanaugh would run for one devastating first down after another. One of the defining plays came on a Vikings trick play. The play is designed for a receiver to take a reverse hand off and then throw the ball instead of run it. None of the Eagles defenders were caught off guard and everyone was covered down field, but the ball was bobbled in the end zone when two Eagles defenders collided. What looked like a sure interception ended up being caught for a touchdown. Although the Eagles were only down 22-20 at the half, the Vikings scored first in the third quarter on a 1-yard run. They picked off Mitchell on the ensuing Eagles drive, causing the ball to be returned for another quick touchdown. With the score 36-20, the
Eagles were still alive midway through the third quarter, but the Viking power run game, led by Kavanaugh, kept the Eagles from making a run. Wide receiver Greg Herd had a huge day with the 96yard touchdown and 196 total yards, but none of that mattered, according to Herd. “All I’m worried about is the score board,” Herd said. “I’d rather have no catches with a win then stats like this and a loss.” Most fans were quick to blame injuries, but Coach Beau Baldwin and the players were of a different mindset. “We have been fighting and scrapping and finding a way,” Baldwin said. “Whether or not it comes down to injuries, it was still a game where we felt [that] if we could have done a few things differently or played with a lead, it might have been a different outcome. It’s been a difficult year in terms of injuries, but
at the same time, it is not an excuse.” Mitchell wasn’t satisfied with the outcome of his final home game at Eastern, but will never forget the memories he had here. “It meant more than I could ever say,” Mitchell said about playing for EWU. “Just the acceptance, not only of this school, but this community, these fans, the players and the team.” Though the playoff hunt is over and some players won’t be back next year, the season isn’t done and neither is the future of this team. Mitchell isn’t going to let this loss affect the team’s efforts in future games and is looking to help prepare them for upcoming years without him. “You got to fight when you’re on top and you’re on bottom,” Mitchell said. “I’m going to keep my head up and get on the guys to keep their heads up.”
Shoulder injury sidelines senior defensive back By Sierra Schmidt contributing writer
babyngurl9879@gmail.com
A subluxed bicep tendon has lead senior defensive back Matt Johnson to the operating room Oct. 27 and on the sidelines for the rest of the season. Johnson has been playing with the injury since the second game of the season. Recently, the pain became too much to bear. According to head athletic trainer Brian Norton, Johnson surgery was the only way to repair the damage. “It wasn’t fair for the team or myself,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t able to play to my full potential.” Johnson wasn’t able to practice during the week when he was playing games and found it hard to concentrate when playing. “It is something that is sits in the back of your head,” Johnson said. “It makes it hard to play the game because it is so painful.” He will not end his career without a name to carry on. Johnson is the fifthleading tackler in school history with 341 and second on the school’s all-time list for interceptions, 17, and interception return yards, 219. The surgery needed to be done right away so Johnson could be ready in the spring when NFL scouts are looking to re-
cruit, according to defensive line coach Ryan Sawyer. “When you come from a small school, you need to have everything lined up the best you can,” Sawyer said. “Matt has had two surgeries and that’s obviously going to be a red flag.” Head coach Beau Baldwin has confidence that Johnson will continue to play. “He just needs to get surgery and get healthy,” Baldwin said. Johnson had surgery on the same shoulder his sophomore season. Johnson’s injury was not only physically painful, but emotionally painful as well. “There were a lot of tears on both sides,” Sawyer said. “You don’t want to see things like that happen to the good kids.” Senior defensive back Jeff Minnerly would give anything to be playing next to Johnson. “It’s difficult because you feel for him,” Minnerly said. “You know how much he loves the game and wants to be out there.” Players have been stepping up where it would be easy to call it quits, according to Baldwin. “I can’t fill his shoes,” Minnerly said. “Allen and Billy can’t. Each of us has to step up to try and replace Matt and even then you can’t make up for the caliber Matt plays at.” There is more responsibility knowing players need to be ready at all times, according to sophomore defensive back Bo Schuetzle. “A lot of players have stepped up and we will be fine,” Sawyer said. Johnson is one of the seven starters lost for the season because of injuries. The other Johnson-page 6