RADNOR, Pa. - Eastern University Football led wire-to-wire to close out its regular season home slate in with a convincing 31-10 victory over the Misericordia Cougars on Saturday afternoon at the RSR Pavilion. Quarterback Brett Nabb and running back Jeremiah Avrilien combined for 268 yards of the Eagles' 309 rushing yards to go along with three scores, while the defense held the Cougars to just 232 total yards in the win. It is the first two-game win streak in program history as the Eagles improved to 4-4 overall and 4-3 in the MAC.
With the game tied 10-10 early in the third quarter, the Eagles went on to outscore the Cougars 21-0 the rest of the way. Avrilien scored a pair of touchdowns, one from 11 yards and the other from 48, in the final seven minutes of the third quarter. Nabb put the nail in the coffin early in the fourth frame with a 58-yard touchdown scramble.
The Eagles went into halftime with a 10-3 lead. After Misericordia tried and failed an onside kick to start the contest, Eastern went 39 yards on 10 plays, but could not find paydirt. John Nolek put the Eagles on the board with a 23 yard field goal.
The Eastern defense, continuing its recent brilliance, forced a pair of three-and-outs on the Cougars' first four drives of the contest. The Eagles kept the Cougars' offense off balance all afternoon, allowing just nine first downs over the course of the contest. Gashawn Moody and Jason Bateman led the charge. Moody, who was honored as Eastern's lone senior before the game began, finished with 11 tackles, seven solo, while Bateman ended the day with nine tackles, and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Eastern added to its lead in the second quarter on a two-yard touchdown run from first-year running back Curtis Johnson. Junior Eddie Swinton jumpstarted the possession with a contested 35-yard reception down to the Misericordia 13, and three straight carries for Johnson resulted in a 10-0 Eastern advantage. The Cougars were able to get on the board late in the first half on a 25-yard field goal from Connor McLaughlin.
On the opening possession of the second half, the Cougars tied the game on a long run from quarterback Jacob Hunter. After converting a third-and-nine on a 13-yard completion to Jacob Hoy, Hunter scrambled away from pressure and scampered 60 yards to the end zone, knotting the game at 10-10. Hunter was the Cougars' leading rusher with 90 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
The Eagles, however, scored on their following three possessions to take control of the game and take a lead they would not relinquish. For the second week in a row, Chris Rivera provided a spark on special teams with a 43-yard kickoff return to swing momentum back in Eastern's favor. On their first drive, Nabb picked up a crucial first down with a two-yard run on 4th-and-2, and Avrilien capped off the drive two plays later with his 11-yard score. After the defense forced another punt, Avrilien scored again on the Eagles' next possession. Once the holes closed in the middle of the Misericordia defense, the sophomore worked his way to the right and found a seam down the sideline for a 48-yard score. Avrilien finished the day with 134 yards on 16 carries for a 8.4 yards per carry average.
On Eastern's first drive of the fourth quarter, Nabb provided the exclamation point. On 2nd-and-1 from the Eastern 42-yard line, the Avalon native broke multiple tackles and rumbled 58 yards for his 10th touchdown of the season. The Eagles got the ball back with 9:49 remaining in the contest and held it the rest of the way, executing a brilliant late drive to run the clock out and end Eastern's first season in Radnor with a victory.
"This was another great win for our young program. Our kids are starting to play with more and more confidence each week," Eastern Head Coach Billy Crocker said. "Our defense had a very good day and kept us in the game early until our offense could get going. We ran the ball extremely well today. Hats off our offensive line and our wide receivers who dominated. The final drive of the game was a statement by our offense. I am just so proud of our team and happy for them for the work in every day and the growth they make day in and day out."
Eastern will be on the road for its final two games, beginning with Delaware Valley next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 noon.
