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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eastern claims third straight Big Sky title

Eastern Washington running back Jabari Wilson (2) scores in 56-34 win over Portland State Friday. (Associated Press)
PORTLAND – As the rains fell late Friday night, the Eastern Washington football players soaked in the joy. After a 56-34 win over Portland State, the Eagles and their fans also celebrated a little history – an unprecedented third straight Big Sky Conference title. It wasn’t easy – the fifth-ranked Eagles squandered a two-touchdown advantage just before halftime – but they seized the moment in the second half, pulling away to secure at least a tie for the Big Sky title. If co-leader Montana State loses today at Montana, the Eagles will have the title all to themselves. In the process, Eastern (10-2 overall, 7-1 Big Sky) secured a bye in the first round of the playoffs and a second-round home game on Dec. 6. The Eagles will learn their playoff fate Sunday morning, when seeds and pairings are announced. The Eagles won this one in all phases of the game: a balanced offense that yielded 494 total yards, a defense that forced five turnovers, and a game-clinching kickoff return by Shaq Hill in the fourth quarter. The Eagles needed just three plays to put the second-quarter meltdown in their rear-view mirror: Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. rolled left and sprinted down the left sideline for 31 yards, hit tight end Zach Wimberly for 34 more, then ran for a 3-yard score to give Eastern the lead for good. The momentum didn’t last long, as Eastern gave up a 91-yard kickoff return on the next play. PSU’s Shaq Richard scored on a 4-yard run, but the extra-point attempt failed after a  bobbled snap and Eastern still led 21-20. Four minutes later, Portland State (3-9, 2-6) got the ball back with a chance to take the lead, but Eastern linebacker Ronnie Hamlin forced Richard to fumble at the 25 and safety Tevin McDonald recovered. Jabari Wilson took it from there, carrying four straight times before scoring on a 1-yard plunge with 7:18 left in the third. That made it 28-20, but Eastern’s defense forced another fumble. McDonald stripped the ball from receiver Roston Tatum and Miquiyah Zamora recovered. Adams hit Cooper Kupp on a 46-yard pass, and Wilson scored from 6 yards on the next play. PSU pulled within 35-27 on its next possession, but Eastern all but wrapped up the game when Kupp dived and came up with the ball for a 40-yard TD with 11:18 left. The Vikings cut the gap to 42-34 with 6:36 to play, but Hill took the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown – the Eagles’ first kickoff return for a TD this season. As well as the game ended, it began that way as well for the Eagles. Portland State moved smartly down the field on its first possession, but stalled at the Eastern 13, and Jonathan Gonzalez pushed a 32-yard field-goal try wide left. Eastern moved in typical fashion to take a 7-0 lead. Adams converted a third-and-5 with a scramble up the middle and Mario Brown ran 11 yards into PSU territory. On fourth-and-3, Adams rolled out and hit wide-open Kendrick Bourne for a 32-yard score. Eastern stuffed a third-down screen pass for no gain, and took over on its 24. After an exchange of punts, PSU reached the Eastern 32, but Vikings quarterback Josh Kraght scrambled and fired into the end zone – and into the hands of safety Zach Bruce, who fell at the 2. The Eagles moved 98 yards in 13 plays, converting another fourth down in spectacular fashion. Facing fourth-and-1 from the Vikings 46, Adams executed a perfect play-action pass, hitting tight end Terry Jackson II for 25 yards. Two plays later, running back Wilson broke three tackles on his longest run of the season, a 20-yarder that ended at the 1. Wilson capped the drive to make it 14-0. The Eagles squandered it all the last 2 minutes of the half. Up 14-0 after a third straight three-and-out, they had to punt after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on offensive lineman Clay DeBord. Backup quarterback Kieran McDonough beat the Eagles first with his legs. McDonough ran for 26 yards to the PSU 48, then threw toward the sideline to Alex Toureen. Eastern cornerback Alex Hoffman mistimed his jump and safety Bruce failed to make the tackle, allowing Toureen to walk into the end zone with a 41-yard score. It got worse. On the next play, Adams bobbled the snap while in shotgun formation. He recovered the ball, rolled right and fired straight into the arms of PSU cornerback Aaron Sibley at the 41. McDonough wasted no time, finding Thomas Carter in the end zone for the tying score with 53 seconds left.