Brady Moore
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Brock Netter

Brock is SOSA's primary writer and has worked for the Coshocton Tribune, the Kankakee Daily Journal (Ill.), the Vinton-Jackson Courier and the Jackson Telegram. He's a six-time award-winning journalist, a lifelong WWE fan, a suffering Bengals fan and calls the sidelines his home.

Eastern continues to pen history, outlasts Conotton Valley in DVII, R27 thriller

The Eagles will play with a trip to the Final 4 on the line.

Brock Netter, Staff Writer

Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.

HEATH — For a brief moment in time, it appeared that Eastern had met its maker on Friday night in a Division VII, Region 27 Semifinal.

The Eagles, trailing 22-21 late, found themselves facing a 4th and 15 play after dropping what would have been a long touchdown pass to take a lead.

So with its season on life support, Eastern decided to go off-script and hand the ball to Brady Moore. The senior back returned the favor by, essentially, saving the team’s season. 

Eastern’s Declan Davis and defensive coordinator Daniel Stewart celebrate during the Eagles’ 29-22 win over Conotton Valley in a Division VII, Region 27 Semifinal.
CREDIT: Sam Walsh/SOSA

Moore muscled his way through multiple defenders, weaving his way 17 yards downfield past the first down marker to keep the drive alive.

“My offensive linemen treat me really good. I saw the hole open up and just didn’t stop running and powered through everybody,” Moore said. “I knew I had to get the first down, or that could have been the game, so I did what I had to do.”

The eventual result with a touchdown from Wyatt Richardson, and that was the night’s difference as the Eagles turned what looked to be a season-ending mark of 12-1 into 13-0 with a thrilling 29-22 victory over Conotton Valley.

“I told our kids all week that we were the better team, and our kids showed their grit when it counted the most,” Eastern coach Scott Tomlison said. “We kicked ourselves in the second half with some turnovers, and quickly found ourselves in a dogfight. But we’ve been in this situation three times before this season and came out with a win, so I knew our guys would pull out the win on the final drive.”

Eastern took early momentum and appeared well on its way to a rout throughout the first half. 

The Eagles blocked Conotton Valley’s punt on the game’s opening drive, and cashed in when Eric Manley connected with Tucker Leist in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass, making it 7-0 with 7:05 left in the first quarter.

Two drives later, the Eagles used a heavy dose of Moore to drive to CV’s 1-yard line. On the next play, Brewer Tomlison barreled his way into the end zone, putting his team ahead 14-0 at the 7:14 mark in the second. 

Then, just before halftime, Eastern came up with a fourth down sack to regain possession. That play paid off with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Manley to Carson Peters, extending the lead to 21-0 at the break. 

“Daniel Stewart, our defensive coordinator, Evan Ferguson, our offensive coordinator and Dalton Tomlison, our offensive line coach. Those guys do such a great job putting these game plans together and they are the best young assistants in Southern Ohio,” Tomlison said. “The kids believe in them, I believe in them and those guys are the reason we’re rolling the way we have this season, just like in the first half.”

After a turnover on downs from both teams to open the second half, the Eagles put together a drive and seemed like they were about to put the game away.

However, a fumble gave the Rockets the football and a door that was once shut firmly started to crack open. 

The Rockets (9-4) cashed in on the turnover with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Zach Putnam to Garrett Reiter, trimming the lead to 21-8 with 4:16 left in the third.

CV then forced Eastern to punt, and momentum was officially shifted. The Rockets took just four plays to go 71 yards and scored when Putnam hit Gavin Haney for a 14-yard touchdown toss, cutting the deficit to 21-16 heading into the fourth.

Haney wasn’t done making plays, though. 

Eastern drove deep into Rocket territory, and picked up a huge fourth down conversion to do so. But Haney stepped in front of a pass for the interception to halt the drive and give his Rockets a chance to take the lead.

They did just that when Putnam hit Brooks Bower for a 12-yard touchdown, putting CV ahead by a 22-21 tally with just 4:45 to play.

However, in the end, the Eagles showed just how resilient they are.

Manley led his offense down the field before Moore logged his season-saving 17-yard run, putting the ball at CV’s 3-yard line.

On the next play, a handoff, the ball was stripped before crossing the goal line. But with a loose ball on the ground and a season hanging in the balance, Richardson was right there to scoop it up for the score, putting Eastern back in front at 29-22 with just 1:31 to go.

“We’ve been in those situations. It all just comes down to maintaining our composure,” Peters said. “Playing Eastern football, that’s what got us here and that’s how we win games.”

The Rockets had one final chance to score and nearly capitalized. 

Putnam found Bower open in Eastern’s secondary, who cut back inside and had nothing but open turf in front of him. But with Bower racing down the sideline, Peters came in and punched the ball out, a fumble that was recovered by the Eagles and one that stamped their regional final tickets.

On our last offensive drive, the only thing we were saying through our headsets as coaches was ‘Don’t score too soon’. We were not take the deep shot and milk the clock since Conotton Valley had momentum on offense, so we tried to leave them as little time as possible,” Tomlison said. “They still had enough time, but what a play from Carson Peters to timely punch that ball out. That was incredible.”

Moore finished the night with 30 carries for 182 yards, while Manley finished 13-of-21 passing for 172 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Leist caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, Peters had a touchdown catch and a force fumble while Richardson and Brewer Tomlison each added a touchdown.

Eastern advances to a Division VII regional final at 7 p.m. on Friday against Danville, who defeated Miller to advance. The location is to be determined this weekend.

“Canton is our goal, and we’re two games away from getting there. But to be playing for a regional championship is special,” Tomlison said. “Danville is a really good team with a really good tradition. We’ve seen them on film and it’s definitely going to be a dogfight, but it’s nothing that we can’t handle and win.”

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