Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CROWN CITY — Early on in Friday’s contest, two things were true: South Gallia was moving the football well and Eastern was taking it away.
With the lone score in the first half being a one-yard touchdown run by Eastern big man Brewer Tomlison, the Eagles’ defense was doing what it worked on all week … taking the ball away from a tough-nosed South Gallia squad.
“We knew that they turn the ball over a little bit,” Eagles’ head coach Scott Tomlison said. “We worked on it all week over and over, taking chances to get the ball back on defense and tonight, in a battle like this, we needed that.”
Eastern (9-0, 3-0 SOC I) appeared to execute that game plan to perfection early on. After taking the ball away on SG’s first three possessions, however, it was clear that South Gallia’s defense came ready for a fight as well.
And so both ball clubs had to roll up their sleeves and strap in for an old-fashioned slugfest.
CREDIT: Baylee Harris/SOSA
As the first half closed with Eastern leading 7-0, it was South Gallia that came out of the locker rooms swinging.
On the legs of senior Tanner Sanders, the Rebels (5-3, 2-1 SOC I) marched 74 yards to their first score — a 12-yard tote from Sanders that cut the deficit to 7-6 after a missed PAT early in the third.
The Eagles looked to respond, but it was Sanders who did so with another big play, hauling in his first interception on the Eagles’ next drive.
Sanders’ interception set up the go-ahead score, a 25-yard dash from Judah Cremeens, which gave South Gallia a 12-7 lead with 11:32 to play in the fourth.
After getting dealt two haymakers, it was gut-check time for the Eagles.
“We knew this game was going to be a battle,” coach Tomlison said. “But our defense was huge tonight. Coach Stewart has done a great job with this program. We told our kids that these are the moments where we see what we’re made of. And we knew we didn’t want to give up that Gold Ball.”
While the Eagles failed to shut down the Rebels’ running attack throughout the night — South Gallia finished with 304 rushing yards — with under eight minutes to play and facing a critical 3rd and 1 play, the defense came through.
But just as the momentum had changed, it swung right back to the Rebels’ side when they picked off a pass, setting them up at Eastern’s 35-yard line.
With five and a half minutes to play and a chance to run down the clock, the Rebels could feel a win in the air.
But as fate would have it, just as the game started, turnovers came into the forefront.
Eastern recovered a fumble on the first play of SG’s drive and, this time, the Eagles’ offense would be sure to do what they couldn’t in the first half — cash in.
After a long night all around for Eastern quarterback Eric Manley, he picked the best time to have his biggest moment. Facing a 4th & 8 from SG’s 24-yard line, Manley did what he hadn’t done all night … tuck and run.
The junior picked up 13 yards and set up a game-winning touchdown pass to Boston Webb from 11 yards out, taking the lead back at 13-12 with just 38.4 seconds remaining.
It kept the Eagles’ undefeated season and hopes of a Gold Ball alive and well.
“He’s done that for us a few times now,” coach Tomlison said of his quarterback’s slow start. “But when we needed him, he came through. That last play was simple. I just told him to make his read and make the throw to the corner and he did just that.”
The Eagles’ defense then put an exclamation point on the win with a second interception of the night, sealing the deal and securing at least a share of the SOC I crown.
Statistically, Eastern’s ground game was led by Brady Moore, who carried the ball 19 times for 52 yards. Manley completed 9-of-23 pass attempts for 121 yards and a score, and Webb hauled in five passes for 58 yards and a touchdown.
South Gallia leaned on Sanders, who tallied 17 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown. Cremeens followed with 12 totes for 97 yards and a score.
Both teams will wrap up their regular season slates next week.
While South Gallia attempts to bounce back with a trip to Symmes Valley. Meanwhile, Eastern looks to complete a perfect season, hosting Green.
“We’re made for these moments,” Brewer Tomlison said. “We have three championships and every championship game has been a close one. We look back three years ago where we beat Northwest, Notre Dame was tight last year, so we knew this was going to be a dogfight. We went in expecting it. But this was where we shine. This is Eastern football.”
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