EWU-UND notes: Supporting cast steps up for Eags

Saturday was a day for unlikely heroes at Roos Field.

There was junior safety Todd Raynes, who erased half a season’s worth of injuries by not only getting back in the game, but coming up with the Eagles’ third interception of the day.

Then there was kicker Tyler McNannay, who never expected to suit up this year, much less hit all seven field goals he’s attempted.

And most of all, there was redshirt freshman cornerback Moe Roberts, a tailback in high school who quickly remembered what to do when he finally got a football back in his hands.

With the Eagles leading North Dakota 24-0 late in the first half and the visitors backed up, Roberts read the North Dakota pass play – “two on the out” – and moved toward the would-be receiver on the sideline.

“I was going to make the hit, but he didn’t see the ball coming, and it landed on my shoulder pads,” said Roberts, who suddenly had a problem:

“I’d forgotten how to hold the ball,” said Roberts, who quickly recovered his senses and raced 26 yards into the end zone.

McNannay, a late addition to the team, has made the most of his chances since starting kicker Roldan Alcobendas went down with an ACL injury on Sept. 20.

A Colfax product who transferred this year from Weber State, McNannay hit two more field goals on Saturday, from 38 and 36 yards, giving him seven on the year – and confidence going forward.

“You just have to trust your leg,” said McNannay, who was joking with coach Beau Baldwin after the game about his not-so-great accuracy during practice.

Meanwhile, Raynes took something even more important out of Saturday’s win – and not just his fourth-quarter interception.

“I’m just glad I had the opportunity to play,” said Raynes, a junior who was back for the first time since a knee injury against Idaho State on Oct. 4.

Hamlin one short of record

As it turned out, Saturday’s blowout win probably kept EWU linebacker Ronnie Hamlin from breaking the school career record for tackles. Sitting four tackles behind all-time leader J.C Sherritt’s mark of 432 when the game began, Hamlin closed to within one in the third quarter, but yielded to the backups as the Eagles pulled away in the second half. Now with 433 tackles, one behind Sherritt, Hamlin has a chance to tie or break the record next week against Montana.