The Eureka Junior High Tornado football team finished their home schedule with an 8-46 loss to the Cherryvale Chargers. The Tornadoes went into the game knowing this would be a major challenge as Cherryvale was undefeated and had an average margin of victory over their opponents of over 40 points. Knowing this didn’t help; however, as the bigger and much faster Chargers dominated the game.
The Chargers took the opening kickoff and scored two plays later. They then used an onside kick to get the ball back and scored again three plays later. With just four minutes of gametime, the Tornadoes found themselves down 0-16. Eureka couldn’t get anything going on offense, as the Charger’s speed dominated the middle and the flats. Their first three possessions ended with either a turnover on downs or an actual turnover. The Chargers scored on their next two possessions before turning the ball over on an interception by seventh grader Tate Scott.
The Tornadoes promptly returned the favor, however, throwing an interception of their own, which the Chargers turned into a touchdown and a successful conversion. By halftime, the Tornadoes found themselves in a 0-38 hole. The scrappy Tornadoes didn’t quit in spite of the odds. With a running clock in the second half, they scored on a 78yard touchdown catch and run by eighth grader Jameson Stewart from a pass by Scott. The conversion pass from Scott to eighth grader Brody Mitchell was also successful and the Tornadoes were on the board with a 8-38 deficit. The fourth quarter, which was played by both teams’ seventh graders, featured a long run by the Chargers and a successful conversion. This made the final score 8-46. Once again this drive used the Chargers’ speed advantage to good effect.
The Tornadoes end their season at Leon Thursday night in a 6 p.m. game against the Bluestem Lions.
