The Eureka football team’s bid for a second straight undefeated regular-season came to a chilling end tonight (Oct. 12) at Marquette.
The Wildcats were haunted by missed points in a 13-12 last-second loss to the Mustangs, who scored the game-winning touchdown with 14.1 seconds to play.
Eureka (7-1), which entered the game ranked No. 2 in the Class 6 media poll, failed to convert extra-point attempts after each of its first-quarter touchdowns. The first point-after kick missed its mark, and the second one was blocked.
“We had opportunities all game along,” said Eureka head coach Jake Sumner, whose team opened this season with back-to-back comeback wins. “We’ve battled our way back into games and had breaks and have willed our way into it. We have to refocus and go forward.”
Eureka appeared prime to go forward with a win after it blocked a 34-yard field goal attempt by Marquette (5-3) just over three minutes into the final quarter with the Wildcats clinging to a 12-7 lead.
Eureka marched to Marquette’s 28-yard line, but on fourth-and-13, quarterback Carter Davis just missed connecting with receiver Jhalon Asher-Sanders at the goal line for a touchdown.
The Mustangs took over the ball with 4:56 to play and made their way to the Wildcats’ 3-yard line in 16 plays. Marquette’s game-winning drive was assisted by a 15-yard penalty against Eureka on its first play and a pass interference call with 21.2 seconds left that set up quarterback George Williams’ 3-yard touchdown scramble.
“We’ve played a couple state-ranked teams recently (losing 58-20 to Class 6 No. 7 Kirkwood on Sept. 6, 21-17 to Class 5 No. 9 Fox on Sept. 28 and 27-10 to Class 6 No. 9 Pattonville on Oct. 5),” said Marquette coach Matt Klein, whose team had lost eight straight games to Eureka. “We have been close but haven’t gotten over the top, and finally, we came up with some big plays there at the end.”
Eureka appeared to take control early against Marquette.
The Wildcats covered 63 yards on eight plays to score on their opening drive, which ended with Davis connecting with receiver Antonio Sanders for a 12-yard touchdown with 9:34 to play in the first quarter. But the point-after attempt missed its mark, leaving Eureka with a 6-0 lead.
After Marquette missed a 35-yard field goal, Eureka only needed two plays to cover 80 yards as Davis hit Asher-Sanders for a 25-yard reception and followed that with a 55-yard touchdown toss to Asher-Sanders with 4:41 to play. But Eureka failed to tack on another extra point as Marquette blocked the kick.
“It lost the game,” Sumner said of the failed point-after attempts. “That is all I’m going to say. Those are big time.”
Marquette got the ball on its 30 after the ensuing kickoff and moved to Eureka’s 1-yard line as time expired in the first quarter.
Mustangs running back Kyle Mill punched in a touchdown with a 1-yard carry to start the second quarter, cutting the Wildcats’ lead to 12-7 with 11:56 left in the first half.
Neither team scored again until the game’s final seconds.
“Obviously, it is huge,” Klein said of beating Eureka. “Being in the same school district (Rockwood School District) and a rivalry game. It is not too much of a rivalry unless we start doing our part. It was good, and I’m happy for our kids. It’s a big program win.”
Eureka closes the season with a home game against Seckman at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12. The Jaguars (6-2) fell 49-0 to Fox tonight.
“At the end of the day, we have a playoff run coming up here, and we’ve got to focus in,” Sumner said. “We have to get back to that. We have to find where we had mistakes and opportunities and learn how to capitalize on them.”