Eagles soar past Tigers in homecoming win

AFTON — It was a perfect homecoming for the East Union Eagles (3-1) as they won a narrow 22-18 battle over rival Lenox (1-3).

It’s only the Eagles’ second victory over the Tigers since 2008, the last being in 2016. Last season, the Tigers won the matchup 58-0 during their homecoming game.

Lenox put up the first score of the game, opening with a touchdown run by senior quarterback Laramie Stoaks. Stoaks finished the game 6-of-16 in the air for 33 yards and rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

The Tigers’ 2-point conversion attempt failed.

East Union junior running back Wyatt Kelley scored on a 1-yard run to tie the game at 6. Sophomore quarterback Braxdyn Tucker passed to freshman Caden Clear for the 2-point conversion to take an 8-6 lead.

Tucker finished the game 8-of-12 for 110 yards and two passing touchdowns. He also had 61 rushing yards.

Lenox senior running back Kolben Robinson punched in a 4-yard score. The conversion failed, putting the Tigers up 12-8 after the first quarter.

Eagles takeover

In the second quarter, a 39-yard pass from Tucker to freshman Bryce Pettit found the end zone for six. While the 2-point conversion failed, the Eagles led 14-12 and would keep the lead throughout the remainder of the game.

For Lenox, Wylie Brokaw was a force on defense, putting up 13.5 total tackles including 10 solo, 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Kelley led the Eagles’ defense with 10 total tackles, including eight solo and an interception. Clear added 7.5 total and five solo.

East Union had strong defense against the pass, allowing only 33 passing yards, no passing touchdowns and coming down with two interceptions.

Kelley had one of the interceptions while senior homecoming king Paul McNeill snagged the other one.

On offense, McNeill caught a 20-yard pass from Tucker in the third quarter for a touchdown, Clear scoring on the 2-point conversion.

Though Stoaks escaped for a 45-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, the Eagles had built enough of a lead to come away with the 22-18 win.

This is the Eagles’ first homecoming win since 2021, two of the games being losses to the Tigers.

This week East Union travels to Murray (1-3) for the Mustangs’ homecoming game. The Tigers host Lamoni (3-1) for their homecoming game.

East Union 22, Lenox 18

Points by quarter

Le 12 0 0 6 — 18

EU 8 6 8 0 — 22

TEAM STATISTICS

Le EU

Rushes-yards 43-231 33-149

Passing 6-16-0 8-12-2

Passing yards 33 110

Total yards 264 259

Punts-avg. 3-27.7 3-32

Fumbles lost 0 0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Le: Laramie Stoaks 21-140, 2 TDs; Kolben Robinson 12-44, 1 TD; Wylie Brokaw 8-39; Colton Haidsiak 2-8. EU: Wyatt Kelley 9-53, 1 TD; Braxdyn Tucker 17-61; Caden Clear 7-38.

PASSING — Le: Stoaks 6-16-2 for for 33 yards. EU: Tucker 8-12-0 for 110 yards, 2 TDs.

RECEIVING — Le: Levi Fitzgerald 2-26; Brokaw 3-5; Brogan Petersen 1-2. EU: Paul McNeill 3-39, 1 TD; Bryce Pettit 1-39, 1 TD; Coltyn Kelley 2-20; Clear 2-12.

TACKLE LEADERS (solo) — Le: Brokaw 13.5 (10), Robinson 9 (5), Petersen 5.5 (5), Haidsiak 5.5 (4). EU: Wyatt Kelley 10 (8), Clear 7.5 (5), Morgan Cooley 6 (3), McNeill 5.5 (4), Coltyn Kelley 5.5 (3).

INTERCEPTIONS — Le: None. EU: Wyatt Kelley 1, McNeill 1.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES — None. TACKLES FOR LOSS — Le: Brokaw 5.5, Jayden Arnold 1.5, Isaiah Padilla 1, Cash Brammer 0.5. EU: Cooley 1.5, Wyatt Kelley 1, Wyatt Frasier 1, Brock Jones 0.5, Kayson Harper 0.5, Elijay Mulkey 0.5

SACKS — Le: Brokaw 2, Robinson 1, Haidsiak 1, Padilla 1. EU: Wyatt Kelley 1.