Cal Poly takes over late to end EWU’s season with 43-34 loss

Three drives into Saturday’s game in San Luis Obispo, California, the first start of Kaden Rolfsness’ college football career, wasn’t off to a great beginning.

His first pass attempt was intercepted, and Eastern Washington’s next two drives ended in three-and-outs.

But the true freshman rallied, and when he crossed the end zone late in the third quarter for his third rushing touchdown of the game, Rolfsness and the Eagles were poised for a victorious finish.

Cal Poly, though, had other designs.

The Mustangs answered that touchdown with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to retake the lead and then added one more score to solidify their final advantage, 43-34 at Mustang Memorial Field.

It secured a 4-8 overall record for the Mustangs – their most victories in three seasons under former EWU head coach Paul Wulff – and it ended the Eagles’ season at 5-7 overall and 4-4 in Big Sky play.

“We wanted to make this as ugly as we could make it,” EWU head coach Aaron Best said in a postgame radio interview. “We dug ourselves a few holes, climbed out of them, found our way out of them.”

The Eagles looked as if they were emerging one last time when, after Cal Poly’s final touchdown, Wesley Garrett took a reverse on the kickoff all the way for a score.

But the play was called back by a holding penalty, and three plays later Rolfsness threw an interception. Rolfsness threw another the next time Eastern had the ball and ended the game 23-of-42 passing for 236 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

The third EWU quarterback to make his first-career start this season, Rolfsness also ran 19 times for 56 yards and three touchdowns.

“I couldn’t legitimately be prouder for a kid in the last game, knowing he’s got the keys to the car and no one behind him,” Best said. “He didn’t flinch. … He’s going to continue to make strides in this program.”

Because of an injury, Rolfsness didn’t play during his senior year at Puyallup High School. He walked on at Eastern but became the fourth quarterback to start this year after injuries sidelined Jared Taylor, Nate Bell and Jake Schakel.

“This is my dream right here,” Rolfsness said in a postgame radio interview. “… It’s actually unbelievable, the situations I’ve been given, and I am very proud of the people around me. My line played great. I took shots, but that’s because you’re going to take shots (as a quarterback).”

With the Eagles trailing 14-0 in the first quarter, sixth-year senior Read Sunn forced a fumble and redshirt freshman Josiah Goode recovered it at the Cal Poly 22-yard line. Given a short field, Rolfsness scored four plays later on a seven-yard touchdown run.

The Eagles continued to play catch-up through the first half, drawing within three, 27-24, on Soren McKee’s 50-yard field goal before halftime. A 32-yarder by McKee tied the game at 27 midway through the third quarter.

One week after intercepting five passes in a 27-7 victory over Northern Colorado, the Eagles’ defense forced four turnovers against Cal Poly. It included the first interception of sixth-year senior DaJean Wells’ 44-game career at Eastern, as well as an interception by redshirt junior Isaac Redford and a late fumble recovery by Sunn after redshirt sophomore Jaylin Jenkins popped the ball loose.

But Cal Poly (2-6 Big Sky) was able to wiggle out of many jams, converting on 10 of 21 third downs. The Mustangs ran 87 plays, more than any EWU opponent this year, and gained 500 yards, a season-high for the Mustangs against Division I opponents.

Cal Poly redshirt junior quarterback Anthony Grigsby Jr. made his first start of the season and completed 21 of 37 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Seven of those passes were caught by senior Logan Booher, who had 126 yards and a touchdown.

Eastern was flagged for just four penalties, but two of them nullified long returns in special teams.

Playing his last game for the Eagles, sixth-year senior defensive end Trevor Thurman finished with seven tackles and a sack. Wide receiver Nolan Ulm, in his 57th and final game at Eastern, had three catches for 32 yards. Garrett, also in his last game, led the Eagles with five catches and 63 receiving yards.

Redshirt junior Isaiah Perez blocked Cal Poly’s last extra-point attempt for his fourth blocked kick of the season, setting a new EWU single-season record. Perez also had a career-high 2.5 sacks.