Montana outruns Eastern, 52-49

CHENEY - Experts will tell you never try to outrun a grizzly when out in the wild.

The Eastern Washington football team learned that the species from Missoula also has a whale on an arm following Montana's wild 52-49 Big Sky Conference shootout win over the Eagles, Sept. 28 at Roos Field before 8,846.

Try as they did, the Eagles were unable to fully recover from the second quarter 21-7 scoring binge in which the Griz retook a lead they never lost. Montana had never won on the red turf, a span of six games, until now.

Their 28-14 fourth quarter edge left Eastern with a 1-4 record, 0-1 in Big Sky play with three losses by a total of 10 points.

After closing two within that final three-point margin on Cole Pruitt's touchdown reception with 52 seconds remaining, Eastern's try for a second successful onside kick deflected out of bounds and became Montana's ball.

"Another one-score game, but one-score games don't matter when you're not on the correct side of that one-score game," Eastern Coach Aaron Best said on a post-game radio interview.

As has largely been the issue during Eastern's four-game slide, allowing big piles of rushing yardage - and critical third and fourth down conversions in the process - to the tune of 337 yards and just under 10 yards per touch has been a problem.

Montana, however, tossed a passing wrench into Eastern's defensive game plan completing 30-of-43 passes for 337 yards. In four previous games the Grizzlies had just over 700 yards - total.

Following a three-and-out possession on their opening drive, Montana collected points of some kind - a field goal and four touchdowns - and led 31-14 at the break.

Especially crushing was Montana's conversion of a fourth-and-one at Eastern's 47 with the Eagles expecting the run. Griz QB Logan Fife, however, found Junior Bergen all alone down the right side for the touchdown and a 24-14 lead.

Jared Taylor's remarkable tackle shedding 48-yard scoring run in the third quarter drew Eastern within 31-21. But as they did all game, Montana had an answer, usually involving some lengthy run or pass play.

This time, Eli Gillman turned a second-and-four play into a 69-yard touchdown run and the Griz led again by 38-21.

Eastern continued to play catch up with Montana, making its biggest strides first when the visitors missed a 46-yard field goal 19 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Eagles used just 1:03 and three plays for Efton Chism III to make it 38-28. And following Jackson Cleaver's successful onside kick, Kekoa Visperas capped an eight-play scoring drive with his seven-yard TD and Eastern was within 38-35.

Montana turned a short fourth-and-two into 40 yards to set up a Nick Ostmo score with 5:11 to play and a 45-35 game.

So it went, one score cancelled out another.

Eastern did better its averages to date of 403 combined yards per game by a substantial number with 288 through the air and 263 on the ground.

But the defense was gashed, particularly with a handful of big plays on short yardage - and Montana converting all three fourth down tries.

Visperas accounted for six touchdowns four passing and a pair rushing. He finished 22-for-38 for 265 yards and rushed 11 times for 69 yards. Chism ended his night with 8 catches for 107 yards, his eighth career 100 yard receiving game.