CHENEY — In a game of runs, maybe Eastern Washington just ran out of time in their Big Sky Conference regular season ending game with Northern Arizona Nov. 18 at Roos Field.
Rallying from a 35-7 deficit with five minutes remaining in the first half and eventually tying the contest at 35-all with 10 minutes, 35 seconds to play, Eastern gave up back-to-back touchdowns in the final 6:47 falling to the Lumberjacks 49-42 on Senior Day.
“NAU played well enough, they were ready from the jump, they played really well in that (first) 30 minutes, we played really poorly in that first 30 minutes,” Eastern Coach Aaron Best said.
Tied at 7-7 after Blake Gobel rambled 33 yards with a Kekoa Visperas pass with 7:17 remaining in the first quarter, NAU scored the game’s next 28 points, three of those on routine short runs from quarterback Angel Flores and led 35-7 with 5:09 remaining in the half.
Then it was Eastern’s turn as they scored twice in the final 3:53. The first came on a 35-yard scoop and score fumble recovery and return by Jaren Banks, followed 2:45 later with the first of three Efton Chism TDs and the Eagles trailed 35-21 at halftime.
Tuna Altahir trimmed it to a one-score game with his 62-yard touchdown run with just 29 seconds remaining in the third quarter and Chism snared a pass in traffic at the 10:34 mark of the fourth to earn Eastern the tie at 35.
Four minutes later Flores found Marcus Phillips, Jr. completely uncovered on a 14-yard lob to put NAU up 42-35 and 3:47 later Flores caught B.J. Flemming in stride on third and long for a 76-yard pass and run to make it a two score margin, 49-35.
Chism closed the gap to 49-42 with 1:01 to play but Eastern was unable to recover the ensuing onside kick.
“We battled but dug ourselves too deep of a hole,” Best said.
With the loss Eastern finished 3-5 in Big Sky play, 4-7 turning in losing records in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1994 and 1995.
Eastern’s scoreboard hole could have been deeper except redshirt sophomore Zane Thornton secured his first career interception in the end zone to stop one of Northern Arizona’s chances.
With 8 catches for 103 yards Chism moved into third in Eastern’s history with 226 receptions, passing Brandon Kaufman (221) and Aaron Boyce (222). Cooper Kupp has a commanding hold on 1st with 428.
Visperas finished the game 24-for-40 pass for 283 yards and four touchdown passes, but also had three interceptions and a lost fumble.
Defensively, senior Ben Allen led the way with 11 tackles, tying his career best. Backup safety Trevion Shadrick-Harris had a career day with 11 tackles, while Banks and Da’Marcus Johnson each had 10 in a busy day for the defense.
The game included seven turnovers, three forced by Eastern (2 INT, 1 FR) and four by Northern Arizona (3 INT, 1 FR).
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