The Eureka Tornado football team battled back in the second half but came up just short last Friday, Oct. 9, falling 16-22 to the Northeast Arma Vikings at Arma.
Northeast Arma took control early, scoring in the first quarter. Neither team scored throughout teh remainder of the first half, and Eureka trailed 0-7 at halftime.
The Vikings would begin the second half adding another 7, but Eureka responded and got on the scoreboard when Cruz Escareno connected with Mason Hughes on a touchdown pass. Escareno then completed the two-point conversion to Caden Nusz to cut the gap to 8-14.
Eureka continued to battle as Escareno added a touchdown on a 1-yard rushing play. Christian Sanchez converted the twopoint attempt and the Tornadoes took a 16-14 lead.
Northeast Arma, however, found the end zone with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. The Tornadoes trailed 1622. Eureka had an opportunity to respond on its final drive, but the Vikings intercepted a pass to end the Tornadoes’ comeback hopes.
Defensively, Blaine Brockus made a key play with a forced fumble that he also recovered, helping the Tornadoes compete in a hard-fought contest.
Following the game, Eureka head coach Jonah McKee praised his team’s second-half effort while emphasizing the need for a stronger start.
“I was proud of how the boys played in the second half, but we need to find a way to start that way in the first half,” McKee said. “To lose a game that way when we had control of the game is gut-wrenching.”
McKee stressed the importance of bringing greater urgency and intensity from the opening kickoff, with the goal of playing at a level the Eureka community can be proud of. “It has to mean more to us to start faster, to play with a certain edge and intensity this community can be proud of,” he said.
The loss drops Eureka to 1-5 on the season.
The Tornadoes will return home Friday, Oct. 16, to host Uniontown for senior night. Uniontown enters the matchup at 2-4 after suffering a 0-62 loss to St. Mary’s-Colgan.
This Friday’s game will also be the annual “Pink Out” event.
