Eagles finding their wings in season’s initial victory

Rick Devereux

One streak ended while another continued as Estancia High (1-1)

defeated Magnolia (0-1), 33-26, in a nonleague football matchup

Thursday night at Western High. The victory stopped the Eagles’

seven-game skid dating back to the fourth game of last year and

extended the Sentinels losing streak to six games.

“It was ugly, but we’re happy with a win just fine,” Coach Craig

Fertig said of the 3-hour and 10 minute game marred by penalties. The

two teams combined for 162 yards of penalties, and the game was

slowed by numerous referee discussions.

The Sentinels opened the scoring with a 2-yard run, but the Eagles

blocked the point-after attempt. The Eagles took a 7-6 lead when

Bryce McKendry received a delayed pitch, broke several tackles, and

raced 74 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.

Cornerback Geo Macias returned an interception 30 yards in the

next series to give Estancia the ball on the Magnolia 20-yard line.

Three plays later, McKendry punched in his second touchdown, this

time from 5 yards out.

The Eagles widened the lead to 20-6 when Mike Courtney returned a

fumble 41 yards for a score as the quarter came to a close. The point

after was blocked.

McKendry gave Estancia a commanding 26-6 advantage on his third

touchdown of the first half, a 12-yard run.

McKendry, who finished with 134 yards on 16 carries with four

touchdowns, could have had a fifth, but a clipping call negated an

86-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. He ran for his fourth

touchdown later that quarter, a 1-yard plunge carrying two defenders

on his back.

“Not bad for a tennis player,” Fertig said, referring to

McKendry’s decision to not play football last year and focus on

tennis. “We figured [Magnolia] would be playing us strong inside, so

we ran the option outside and it worked.”

After taking a commanding lead into the half, the Eagles showed

signs of fatigue, allowing Magnolia’s Louis Ford gain close to 100

yards on mostly running plays behind the guards.

“I guess we’re not too use to playing with the lead,” Fertig said.

“We’ll have to get used to it, I hope.”

The second half featured several strange calls by the officials

that garnered jeers from the Magnolia fans and questions from both

coaching staffs.

At the end of the third quarter the Eagles were in a punt

formation on their own 24-yard line when the snap went over the head

of Macias. The senior was able to gather the ball in the end zone and

pooch a kick before the Sentinels could tackle him for a safety.

The referees whistled the play dead and awarded Magnolia a safety.

After much discussion, it was ruled an inadvertent whistle, and the

Eagles were allowed to punt again.

This time, the Magnolia returner fumbled the kick and Estancia

recovered.

“We were running the old student-body right like they run at USC,”

Fertig said.