CHENEY, Wash. — On a Senior Day that appeared to be going wrong in every way possible, it was those Eastern Washington seniors who put their foot in the ground and refused to give up, fueling a dramatic comeback bid that fell just short against Northern Arizona on Saturday. The Eagles (4-7, 3-5 Big Sky) scratched back from a 28-point deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but the visiting Lumberjacks (5-6; 5-3) did just enough to take home the win, 49-42.
The first half was largely one to forget on Saturday at Roos Field as NAU surged out to a 35-7 lead with just 5:09 left to go, with many of those points coming on short fields as the Eagles coughed up the ball four times. The deficit could've been even larger, as redshirt sophomore
Zane Thornton — who walked with the seniors earlier in the day — secured his first career interception in the endzone to stop one of NAU's chances.
It was fifth-year linebacker
Jaren Banks who found Eastern's big spark, picking up a loose ball after a missed NAU handoff and returning it 35 yards to paydirt. The Eagles forced their first three-and-out of the game on the Lumberjacks' next possession, thanks to senior transfer
Da'Marcus Johnson's back-to-back plays in the backfield, and Eagle QB
Kekoa Visperas found star wideout
Efton Chism III for a 39-yard strike moments later to suddenly put Eastern within 14 points at halftime, 21-35.
After a decidedly quiet start to the third quarter, RB
Tuna Altahir, after being bottled up most of the day, finally broke free with less than a minute left, springing outside for a career-high 62-yard touchdown run to cut the NAU lead to one score, 28-35 heading into the fourth.
After a spectacular 38-yard one-handed grab on the sideline by senior tight end
Blake Gobel, Chism scored his second of the day on the next play, scampering in on a 13-yard tunnel screen with 10:34 remaining to complete the comeback and tie the game at 35.
NAU finally stopped the bleeding on the next drive, marching down the field for 75 yards on eight plays, capped by a 14-yard reception to TE Marcus Phillips Jr. to retake the lead. They added another score on their next drive as Flores found BJ Fleming over the top of an Eastern defense that had fully committed to stop the run in a do-or-die 3rd down with just over three minutes remaining.
Chism added his career-high third touchdown with 1:01 left in regulation but the Eagles couldn't secure the ensuing onside kick, sealing the defeat.
Additional Notes
- With 8 catches for 103 yards — his 5th career game with 100+ — Chism moved into 3rd in EWU history with 226 receptions, passing notable greats Brandon Kaufman (2009-12; 221 receptions) and Aaron Boyce (2006-09; 222). Eric Kimble (253) is 2nd while Cooper Kupp (2013-16) has a commanding hold on 1st with 428. Chism also moved into 12th in all-time receiving yards with 2,541 and currently ranks 2nd in receptions per game with 5.51 (Kupp averaged 8.23). Chism has caught a pass in every game he has played (41), catching 2+ in all but two of those games and 5+ in 25.
- Visperas finished the game 24-for-40 through the air for 283 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT and 1 fumble, adding 60 yards rushing on 15 carries. Altahir ended up with 80 yards on 12 attempts.
- -Defensively, super senior Ben Allen led the way with 11 tackles, tying his career-best and marking his 8th career game with 10+ (2nd at EWU). Backup safety Trevion Shadrick-Harris had a career day with 11 tackles, while Banks and Johnson each had 10.
- Seven of Johnson's 10 tackles were of the solo variety, including 3 TFL and 2 sacks, adding a QB hurry. He set career highs in each category.
- Eastern was outgained 581-430 overall, including 310-147 on the ground.
- The game included 7 turnovers, 3 forced by EWU (2 INT, 1 FR) and 4 by NAU (3 INT, 1 FR).
- The Eagles recognized 13 outgoing players in a pre-game ceremony, including 11 seniors and two others who are graduating with their EWU degrees and leaving the program.
- The 4-7 record marks the first time the Eagles had back-to-back losing seasons since 1994 and 1995.
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ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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