RED-WHITE GAME STATISTICS

The Eastern Washington University football team capped off the Spring portion of the season today (April 30) by competing in the annual Red-White game at Roos Field in Cheney, Wash. The Red team topped the White by a score of 39-15.
 
The team split into two via the Red-White draft on Tuesday afternoon. The game featured three periods, and an extra three points were awarded for turnovers.
 
After forcing four turnovers and not allowing any rushing yards, the entire Red defense took home the Golden Eagle award for the game's MVP.
 
"It was 36-7 before the White squad caught their final touchdown late, and the Red defense had four turnovers and held the White offense to just seven points for about 45 minutes of play. Collectively, they (Red defense) played well together with high energy. We did have players play on both sides, so there were some winners who switched jerseys during the game," said head coach Aaron Best. "Overall, there wasn't one Red player who stood out. I thought Davante Smith ignited the offense, especially late, and was consistent with his run game. I think that it's either a really good thing or a really bad thing when you can't choose one player, but today it was a decent thing when we couldn't pick one. Collectively, the Red team played good and sound football. It was fun."
 
The Red team amassed 362 yards of total offense, including 201 on the ground and 161 through the air. Three quarterbacks in Gunner Talkington, Simon Burkett and Ryan Kelley combined to complete 15 of 23 pass attempts and no interceptions.
 
The White team totaled 240 yards of offense, all of which came through the air as the team was held to zero rushing yards on 11 carries. Trey Turner and Kekoa Visperas paced the White squad by completing 13 of their 29 pass attempts with three interceptions.
 
The Red team picked up its first three points on the White team's first possession after Mitchell Johnson forced and recovered a fumble on the White 42-yard line. The first true score of the game came with 4:45 left in the first period behind the foot of Seth Harrison who connected on a 46-yard field goal attempt to cap a six-play 45-yard drive. On the White team's next drive, Armani Orange earned the Red team another three points with an interception that he returned for two yards. At the end of the first period, the Red team led 9-0.
 
The Red team tacked on seven more points on the first possession of the second period when Justice Jackson scurried 26 yards for the touchdown to give the Red squad a 16-0 lead after Harrison's extra point attempt was good.
 
It took only one play for the White team to find the scoreboard on its next drive. With 4:45 left in the second period, Trey Turner found Nolan Ulm for the 43-yard score, making it a 16-7 game after Jackson Cleaver's extra point attempt. It was the first of two scores for Ulm on the day.
 
It didn't take long for the Red team to respond, as Brandon Montoya capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a nine-yard rushing touchdown to put the Red squad ahead 23-7 after Harrison's extra point attempt. That was where the score would lie at the end of the second period.
 
Harrison started the third period off on a high note for the Red squad after booting in a 26-yard field goal attempt for a 26-7 lead. The advantage extended to 33-7 after Gunner Talkington completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Efton Chism III and the extra point from Harrison went through the uprights. On the very next play, the Red team picked up another three points when Keshaun King grabbed the game's second interception, extending the lead to 36-7.
 
The White squad kept fighting, as Turner threw his second touchdown of the game to Ulm on a 72-yard score. The duo teamed up again on the two-point conversion attempt and converted, cutting the lead down to 36-15.
 
The Red team had the final say, as Joseph Obeto grabbed a mid-field interception for another three points to seal the 39-15 victory.
 
The game wrapped up a four-week, 15-practice, Spring season for the Eagles, who will now join back together as one squad and begin preparations for the 2022 season opener on September 3 at Roos Field against Tennessee State.
 
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:
 
Red Team:
 
Simon Burkett went a perfect eight-for-eight, throwing for 96 yards. Gunner Talkington threw a touchdown pass, and completed five of his 10 attempts for 59 yards. Ryan Kelley was two-for-five for six yards.
 
Keshaun King led the Red team with five total tackles. Mitchell Johnson, Demetrius Crosby Jr. and Trevor Thurman each had three tackles, with Johnson and Crosby picking up a sack and a half each.
 
Seth Harrison was a perfect two-for-two on field goal attempts with a long of 46, and made all three extra point attempts for nine kick points on the day.
 
Davante Smith was the Red team's leading rusher, as he totaled 124 yards on nine carries with his longest rush of 70 yards. Brandon Montoya followed with 77 yards on seven carries, plus a touchdown. Justice Jackson also found the endzone, ending the day with 40 rushing yards on six carries.
 
Anthony Stell Jr. hauled in 54 yards on five catches, while Efton Chism III totaled 51 yards on four catches plus a touchdown.
 
White Team:
 
Trey Turner completed eight of his 15 pass attempts, throwing for two touchdowns and an interception plus 175 yards. Kekoa Visperas was five-for-14, throwing for 65 yards and two interceptions.
 
Nolan Ulm led all players with 154 receiving yards and two touchdowns on four catches, while also finding another two points following a two-point conversion.
 
Ely Doyle and Jordan Prunty led the White team with eight tackles each, and Prunty led all players with two sacks and two tackles for loss. Steven Flowers had five tackles and Darrien Sampson had four.
 
MORE COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH AARON BEST:
 
On the Red Team's Play-Calling: "We played to our strengths. We don't have all of our guys, we have more players on offense available than defense. Throughout the course of the Spring, we knew about some, but some got dinged up. We'll play to our strengths, and we're still finding out what those are. The Spring is just different, there isn't practice day in and day out, you kind of find leaders in the offseason. It's the second offseason for us, because Winter is the offseason too and then all of a sudden post-Spring is an offseason. We'll find leaders and what we were good at with the guys we had this Spring, along with what we liked, didn't like, and need to add or delete. (Coach Jim Chapin) may rely more on the run, we have more guys built to run and block for the run, that's a good thing."
 
On Player's Who Emerged in the Spring: "Davante Smith pops out on offense. He's electric. Every time he finds a seam, he gets more out of it than he should have. Some guys just have that natural piece to it, and he's a worker. He always has a smile on his face while he's doing it, too, he enjoys working and it shows. When he gets opportunities, he makes the most of them. Armani Orange also stands out as a safety. An older player that took another step is Demetrius Crosby Jr. who started late in the season last year and emerged as our number one corner. He is playing very confident and very well. Offensively, Efton Chism III, and Robert Mason III was steady-eddie all Spring long. Nolan Ulm had a good day today. Still too many drops and too many picks today, but we have time to clean it up. I thought all-in-all it was a good, productive Spring. Some guys stood out a few more than others, but we'll look at the tape. But at least every player took a stride or two to get better."