Eagles Get Win At Pierce First Time Since 1979

O'NEILL'S PORTER MATHEWS finds a hole to run through in action last Friday at Pierce.

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O'NEILL'S HEAD FOOTBALL COACH BROCK EICHELBERGER talks to his players after their win over Pierce last Friday. The Eagle's win was the first win in football at Pierce since 1979.

The date was November 1, 1979, and the O'Neill Eagles were playing in Pierce, coming away with the win. Fast forward to Friday, October 3, 2025. Last week's 33-21 win was the first time the Eagles downed the Blue Jays on their home turf in 46 years.

The Eagles played tough and with determination, knowing this was a key win mentally in their postseason dreams.

The Eagles faced a quick, hard-running Pierce offense. The Blue Jays struck first in the first quarter, running hard, averaging almost five yards a carry. The Eagles got on the board next after a couple of series when Pierce punted to the Eagles, and with 5:16 in the second quarter, Turner Heiss ran in a 53-yard touchdown to put the Eagles on the board 6-7, trailing the Blue Jays. Pierce drove down to the Eagles' four-yard line, where they snuck in a touchdown with 35 seconds left, and with the kick, led the match at the half 14-6.

The Eagles started the second half by kicking to Pierce. The Eagles' defense kicked it up a notch when Porter Mathews blocked a Pierce punt and recovered it on the Blue Jay's 1-yard line. Braxon Eichelberger caught a quick pass for the Eagles' score with 8:13 in the second, bringing the Eagles within two, 14-12. The Blue Jays, sensing danger, drove down to within the Eagles' 10 and lobbed an 8-yard touchdown pass to put Pierce up 21-12 with the PAT.

The Eagles took over the ball on their 31-yard line when Eichelberger caught a 68-yard touchdown pass, and the PAT got the Eagles within two points, 21-19, at the end of the third.

The Eagles felt the victory was within reach with the finality of the fourth quarter. The Eagles got their shot when Mathews ran in an eight-yard touchdown to give O'Neill the first lead of the game, and with a two-point pass conversion, the Eagles were up 27-21.

The Blue Jays didn't have time on their side and, try as they may, couldn't get into the endzone. The final nail in the coffin was Eichelberger running in a punt return for a touchdown with about four minutes on the clock. The Eagles finished the game leading 33-21 for their sixth win of the season.

Heiss threw eight times for six completions for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Heiss also had nine carries for 70 yards; Mathews had 11 carries for 62 yards and one touchdown; Eichelberger had nine carries for 40 yards; Grady Welke had seven carries for 21 yards; Ryker Sudbeck had one carry for eight yards; and Colton Shoemaker had one carry for a yard.

Eichelberger led the receivers with six catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns; Ian Yates had one catch for 25 yards; and Mathews had one catch for eight yards.

Leading the Eagle defense was Heiss with 19 tackles; Mathews had 16 tackles; Colten Shoemaker had 12 tackles total; Welke had 10 tackles; Ryder Kelly had eight tackles; Cort Chohon had four tackles; Eichleberger, Noah Manchester, and Evan Shoemaker each had three tackles; Tucker Anderson, Drake Brandt, and Tavin Morrow each had one tackle.

The Eagles will face Schulyer this Friday at home.

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