The Eureka Junior High Tornadoes football team finished their 2023 season with a 28-6 victory over the Bluestem Lions Thursday night at Leon. The Tornadoes played their best game of the season, showing great improvement from the opening game as the younger kids were able to play a substantial amount. Because of the blowout nature of the score, the Eureka eighth graders were not able to play as much as they wanted but they did finish well.
The game, however, started poorly. Bluestem kicked off to the Tornadoes on a windy night. Due to the windy conditions, Eureka was ready for the onside kick Bluestem attempted.
The Tornadoes fielded the ball cleanly but fumbled on the return, giving Bluestem the first offensive possession. After driving down the field, the Lions turned the ball over on downs at the Eureka 17-yard line. In Eureka’s first play from scrimmage, eighth grader Jameson Stewart took a counter play 82-yards for a touchdown. The conversion failed but Eureka led 6-0.
Bluestem was unable to move the ball much on their second possession, again turning it over on downs. Several stout plays by the Eureka defensive line, led by eighth graders Camden Wunderlich and Killian Harrington, stuffed the Lions offense. When Eureka took possession, Stewart again rambled in for a touchdown, this time covering 63-yards. The conversion, a pass from seventh grade quarterback Tate Scott to eighth grader Brody Mitchell, was successful and the Tornadoes took a 14-0 lead. Eureka forced Bluestem to punt into a strong wind on the Lions’ next possession and took the ball back with great field position. Quarterback Scott took the ball into the endzone on an 8-yard sweep, making the score 20-0. The conversion, another pass to Mitchell, was successful but called back by a holding penalty. The second attempt, a rush by Stewart, was stopped just short of the goal line.
The Tornadoes scored one more time before half after again forcing the Lions to punt.
This time, eighth grader Emery Mills scored on a 12-yard scamper. The conversion was again successful and the Tornadoes took a 28-0 halftime lead. The second half, which featured a running clock and the Tornadoes playing their seventh graders, meant they would have no more scores. The Lions did score a meaningless touchdown on a long run in the early fourth quarter.
The Tornadoes finished their season at 3 wins and 4 losses. They began wrestling practice this week and basketball will begin shortly after that.
