Thunderbirds keelhaul the Commodores 45-12

Thunderbird defenders Gage Baker (71) and Josh Vincent (77) chase Perry Central quarterback Cameron Bland in the third quarter, but he was able to get off a pass.

By Andrew Bowen

LEOPOLD – Eastern took on two foes Saturday afternoon, host Perry Central and unseasonable heat, and beat them both.

The sixth-ranked Thunderbirds (6-0) jumped out to a 28-0 lead en route to a 45-12 triumph over Perry Central. A heat of around 90 degrees slowed down the visitors eventually as Eastern scored only 10 points in the second half.

The Thunderbird stifled the Perry Central ground game, limiting the Commodores to 31 yards on 27 carries. However, Eastern's secondary did give up three pass plays that went more than 50 yards as quarterback Cameron Bland completed 11 of 18 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Clay James hauled in seven receptions for 186 yards, including all the long gainers.

Eastern quarterback Caleb Hamilton bulls down some Perry Central defenders in the fourth quarter.

By Andrew Bowen

“They have a good receiver,” Paridaen said. “Most of the time we were in coverage and their guy just beat us and made a heck of a catch. We gave up a play here and there. I thought our defense played well for the most part.”

Ty Rollins (34) and other T-Bird defenders bring down Creek Wright (10) for a short gain. Eastern held Perry Central to 31 rushing attempts on 27 attempts.

By Andrew Bowen

Senior quarterback Caleb Hamilton also enjoyed a good day through the air. He completed 11 of 15 attempts for 190 yards and four touchdowns. He rushed 21 times for 113 yards as the Thunderbirds racked up 175 yards on the ground.

Jaden Evans returned the opening kickoff 24 yards, and the Thunderbirds marched 52 yards in five plays. Ethan Helton made a nifty one-handed snag of a pass on a 20-yard gain, Hamilton carried twice for 9 yards, Joel Weimer once for nine with five yards tacked on for a facemasking penalty, and Hamilton ended the drive with a 9-yard scoring pass to J.W. Howard.

Joel Weimer stiff-arms a Perry Central player in the first quarter Saturday afternoon.

Eastern's defense forced Perry Central to punt after a couple of first downs, and the visitors began operations on their 16. The Thunderbirds moved to the Commodore 36 as Hamilton carried twice for 24 yards and Evans turned a short pass into a 19-yard gain.

Clay James intercepted a Hamilton pass, the quarterback's first pick of the season, and returned it to the Perry Central 37. However, the Commodores immediately coughed up the pigskin on a fumble, Eastern recovering on the Commodore 43.

The T-Birds needed eight plays to score their second touchdown. Hamilton steadily punched out the yards and Blayne Campbell rambled 25 yards for a first down to set up Hamilton's 2-yard scoring run with 28.2 seconds left in the first quarter.

Blayne Campbell carries for a gain in the first quarter.

By Andrew Bowen

Two short drives blew the game wide open in the second period.

Quinn Miller picked a pass by Bland and returned it 21 yards to the Commodore 11. Two plays later, Hamilton went in from the 4.

Quinn Miller runs an interception back 21 yards to set up Eastern's third touchdown.

By Andrew Bowen

On the first play of their next drive, the Commodores muffed an option and Gage Baker recovered the bouncing pigskin on the Perry Central 35. Hamilton lofted a pass to Evans on the left sideline and he took it to the house for a 28-0 lead.

Perry Central got a first down on the Eastern 17 thanks to a Bland-James hook of 53 yards through the air. Two rushes gained 9 yards, but Jaysce Skinner batted down Bland's pass, and the Eastern defenders dropped Eli James for a 1-yard loss on fourth down.

The Thunderbirds moved to a first down on their 33 as Hamilton dashed for 13 yards and flipped it to Weimer for a 10-yard gain. Three plays gained 9 yards, but the Commodores dropped Hamilton for a 1-yard loss on fourth down.

Bland sprinted for 9 yards and passed 33 yards to Ty Mullis on fourth and 2 and Perry Central was on the scoreboard.

Only 2:38 remained in the half, but that was enough time for Eastern to score.

The Thunderbirds started on their 33, and a 19-yard completion to Helton moved the pigskin to Perry Central territory. After three plays gained 8 yards, Hamilton passed 6 yards to Helton for another first down. Hamilton ran 11 yards, then found Helton on the 3 and he danced into the end zone for a 35-6 lead.

The T-Birds would score only 10 points in the second half. Paridaen said the Eastern offense “kind of sputtered in the second half. We weren't as effective as we should have been.” He said the heat might have affected Eastern's players.

A 25-yard kickoff return helped the Commodores get a first down on the Eastern 47, but they turned the ball over on downs after four plays gained only 6 yards.

An offsides penalty and Hamilton's 5-yard haul on fourth down helped the T-Birds get a first down on the Commodore 45. Hamilton passed to Helton around the 14, he sidestepped his defender, and dashed into the end zone for a 45-6 lead. Eastern's O-line fended off a Commodore blitz and earned a compliment from Paridaen: “Hey, line, nice job.”

Bland found Clay James for completions of 52 and 9 yards to give the Commodores a first down on the Eastern 8. Bland's 3-yard carry and an offisdes penalty helped the Commodores move the ball to the 2, but Eastern's defense arose to the occasion. The T-Birds sacked Bland for losses of 10 and 9 yards, Bland overlooking a wide-open Josh Smith in the end zone on fourth down, and they had the ball on their 21.

The hosts forced Eastern to punt and the ball rolled dead on the Perry Central 28. The Commodores picked up a first down on their 41, but a false start moved the ball back 5 yards, and a lost fumble by Levi Simpson moved the ball back further, Josh Vincent scooping up the oblate spheroid and returning it 17 yards to the Commodore 19.

Josh Vincent rambles down the field after recovering a fumble. Eastern's defenders recovered three fumbles on the day.

By Andrew Bowen

The T-Birds couldn't pick up a first down, but they remained within striking distance, and Andy Drummond, who was perfect on six point-after kicks, booted a 33-yard field goal with 7:23 left in the game.

Andy Drummond boots a 33-yard field goal, his second of the season,.to end the scoring Saturday afternoon. Jackson Rogers holds the ball.

By Andrew Bowen

The teams swapped punts; then Perry Central drove 82 yards for the game's final touchdown. Bland found James for a 53-yard completion to the Eastern 29; then lofted it 17 yards to Mullis for a touchdown on the game's final play.

“All in all, not a bad day,” Paridaen said.

Eastern safety Jackson Rogers (9) successfully defends a pass to Ty Mullis (22).

By Andrew Bowen

Eastern 14 21 7 3 – 45

P. Central 0 6 0 6 – 12

First Quarter

E – Howard 9 pass from Hamilton (Drummond kick), 10:20.

E –Hamilton 2 run (Drummond kick), 0:28.2.

Second Quarter

E – Hamilton 4 run (Drummond kick), 11:11.

E – Evans 35 pass from Hamilton (Drummond kick), 10:54.

PC – Mullis 33 pass from Bland (pass failed), 2:38.

E – Helton 23 pass from Hamilton (Drummond kick), 0:20.8.

Third Quarter

E – Helton 45 pass from Hamilton (Drummond kick), 6:32.

Fourth Quarter

E – Drummond 33 field goal, 7:23.

PC – Mullis 17 pass from Bland (no point-after attempt), 0:00.

E PC

First Downs 16 11

Comp-Att-Int 11-15-1 11-18-1

Passing Yds. 190 253

Rushes-Yds. 35-175 27-31

Total Yds. 365 284

Return Yds. 70 140

Fumbles 0-0 3-3

Sacks 3-(-19) 0-0

Penalties 4-31 3-18

Punts 2-41.5 2-36.0

Time of Poss. 27:20 20:06

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: Eastern: Blayne Campbell 5-28, Joel Weimer 1-16, Levi Southern 2-4, Nick Fox 5-15, Quinn Miller 1-1, Caleb Hamilton 21-113. Perry Central: Clay James 2-6, Creek Wright 13-22, Greg Baize 1-4, Cameron Bland 7-14, Levi Simpson 3-24, Team 1-11.

Passing: Eastern: Caleb Hamilton 11-15-1-190. Perry Central: 11-18-1-253.

Receiving: Eastern: J.W. Howard 1-9, Joel Weimer 2-19, Ethan Helton 5-113, Jaden Evans 2-55, Dawson Blubaugh 1-4. Perry Central: Clay James 7-186, Ty Mullis 2-51, Team 2-16.