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Eagles struggle at I-town - fall to Indians 39-28
Going into Friday night’s contest, it was no surprise that to beat the Indians, you had to contain their superstar quarterback Tshumbi Johnson. Game plans don't always work. A fired up Indian team came roaring back in the second half to erase a 22-12 Eagle lead and won going away, 39-28. This series exemplifies what home field advantage is all about as they won for the 5th time in the last 6 meetings at Gary Bates Stadium. The Golden Eagles have also won 5 out of 6 played at Staver Field, but that stat was of little benefit on Friday.
Isaac Dutes takes the opening kickoff and returns it into Indian Territory, but a holding penalty brings it back to the Eagles 28. Manny Morgan breaks off a 15 yard run for the initial first down off the game. A short run by Billy Crook is negated by another penalty, but Crook finds Morgan on a 26 yard pass play to move back into Indian Territory. Crook keeps on the next play for 3 yards, and then completes a pass to Malacchi Esdale for 6 more yards. Crook advances the ball for 5 yards, but the 3rd Eagle penalty of the first 3 minutes pushes the ball back again, this time to the Indian 45. Not to worry though as Crook finds Esdale for another 11 yard completion. Crook finishes off the drive with a brilliant 34 yard run, racing past the Indian defenders into the end zone. The Okubo PAT puts the Eagles up 7-0 with 8:45 left in the first quarter.
The Indians are not going to be surprised by an on-sides kick, as they stack the front of their receiving team, expecting a short kick from Okubo. They also do not put anybody deep, figuring that it would be a touchback anyway. TK does not disappoint, as he pounds the ball into the end zone, eliminating any chance of a run back by the speedy receivers. This Indian drive features a personal foul penalty and a lot of QB Johnson. He runs the ball 6 times and throws 4 passes, completing 1. But on 4th and 3 from the Eagle 23, Brian Donnelly comes up big with a sack for 7 yards, and the Eagles take over on downs.
Now the Eagles are fired up, and Dutes uses a nice downfield block by Morgan to pick up 29 yards and move into the Indian side of the field. Crook keeps on the next play and picks up 7 yards, the ball now on the Indian 34. The next two passes fall incomplete, and Martin is flagged for offensive pass interference, which carries with it a 15 yard penalty and loss of down. Okubo is able to drop his punt on the 11 yard line, and after a short return, the Indians take over on their 15.
Immokalee keeps the ball on the ground, and after 5 rushes, 1 pass, and two more penalties, they are able to get out to their own 41. QB Johnson finds wide-out Jackson who runs through the Eagle secondary for a 59 yard touchdown. His celebratory "flip" into the end zone draws several flags and the 15 yard penalty, accessed on the ensuing kickoff. The Indians fake the kick and try to go for two, but a holding call wipes that out. Now a bit farther back, they try a traditional PAT, but Andy Chery breaks through the line and blocks it. Naples 7 Indians 6 with 1:43 left in the first quarter.
Hampered by the celebration penalty and an out of bounds kickoff, the Indians now kick off from their own 20. Dutes makes them pay as he returns the ball 47 yards to the Indian 17. Morgan then picks up 5 on a run, but a short pass to Esdale loses 2 yards. After a procedure penalty, Crook finds Devin Scott for an 11 yard pickup. On 4th and 1, Crook keeps it himself and carries to inches from the goal line. His next run finishes the deal, and Okubo makes it 14-6. He also draws a roughing the kicker penalty, as the Immokalee defender comes down on his legs after the kick.
Kicking off from the Indian 45, Okubo easily boots his kick through the end zone for another touchback. But the Indians have their offense revved up as they march down the field in 6 plays, capped off by a 24 yard run by Johnson. The 2 point PAT is no good, and the score remains 14-12 Eagles, with 8:02 left in the half.
The Indians try a pooch kick, which Morgan returns to the 41. Dutes, Morgan and Crook keep it on the ground and move to the Indian 19 where the drive stalls. As Okubo lines up for the 36 yard field goal attempt, Immokalee jumps off sides, changing the game plan. Now with 4th and 3, the Eagles forego the Field Goal and Crook keeps it for 4 yards and a first down. Crook carries the next 2 snaps, and aided by an Indian facemask penalty, it is now 1st and goal from the 4. On the next play, the offensive line opens up huge hole, and he follows Dutes into the end zone. Immokalee jumps off sides on the PAT kick, so again the plan changes, allowing Crook to carry it in for the 2 points. Eagles are up 22-12 with 2:37 to go before intermission.
2:37 is plenty of time for Immokalee to move down the field, even though another Okubo touchback forces them to start from the 20. The Eagles "D" stuffs Johnson on a keeper and then an incompletes pass brings up 3rd and 10. Johnson finds RB Marcellus and he sprints down the sideline towards the end zone. Defensive Back Deac Conti runs him down, but not until he reaches the Eagle 4 yard line. The Eagle defense seizes the opportunity, and they stuff the run the next two plays. Johnson scrambles and is forced to try a jump pass on third and goal. The only one jumping here is Duante Gebrehawariat, who picks off the pass and denies the Indians a score before halftime.
The Eagles try to put up some points before the half, but with 1:30 and 80 yards to go, they can't quite pull it off. Dutes picks up 30 yards on a draw play, but the half ends with Naples in control, leading 22-12. unfortuantely, the lead and control of the game fades quickly after intermission.
Okubo pooches the 2nd half kickoff forcing the Immokalee receiver to run out of bounds at his own 16. Johnson carries the ball on this drive for several big gains, as it seems like he is unstoppable on 3rd down. A 19 yard keeper on third down puts the ball near midfield, and on 3rd and 5 from the Eagles 36, Johnson lobs a pass over the Eagle defenders to a wide open Marcellus for the score. The PAT run is successful and the Eagle lead shrinks to 22-20, with 8:53 left in the third.
Dutes can only return the kickoff to the 13, so the Eagles now face a fired up defense and a raucous home crowd. A 23 yard completion to Morgan gives Naples some breathing room, but this drive stalls at midfield. Okubo punts and it is a beauty, going out of bounds on the Indian 6. Momentum shifts back to Naples now, and they stuff Johnson on a keeper on first down. But as Naples focuses on Johnson, he flips the ball to Marcellus again, this time on a reverse. He weaves his way through the Eagle defenders on his way to a 93 yard TD run. Even after the 2 point PAT attempt is botched, the home crowd is going nuts as the Indians take the lead for the first time, up 26-22.
Dutes takes the short kickoff and returns it to the Naples 34. Crook immediately keeps it himself for an 18 yard gain. Morgan carries the next three times, picking up 16 yards. An Immokalee penalty sets up a Second and 2, and Crook looks downfield and finds a wide open Jeffrey Zieminski for the 27 yard scoring strike. The Eagles try for two, but it comes up short, but still take the lead back and answer the Indian touchdown with one of their own. Naples is back on top, 28-26 with 2:19 to go in the third quarter.
Okubo blasts another kick into the end zone, and the Indians start from their 20. After a few short plays, they are at their own 38, facing another 3rd down. In what would be indicative of the remainder of the game for Naples, they appear to stop the Indians, but come up just short. They force Johnson to scramble and almost sack him several times. He launches a desperation heave down field, which Conti defends, knocking the ball away. The ball is tipped again, but right into the hands of another receiver, who makes the grab for a 20 yard completion. Instead of Naples getting the ball back, the drive continues for the Indians, a huge turning point in the game. The plays seems to pump up Johnson as he keeps it himself the next two plays, running it for 16 and 22 yards, the last one for a touchdown. The Indians add the PAT, and with just 3 seconds before the final quarter, they take the lead back for good, 33-28.
The kickoff again goes to Dutes, and he brings it back to the 39. Naples can only move the ball to the Indian 42 before the pumped up Immokalee defense forces an Okubo punt. He drops it on the Indian 16, and they take over with 9:10 left in the game. Immokalee takes 4 minutes off the clock and picks up another big third down conversion by Johnson, but they too are forced to punt. With 5:18 to go, Naples has 84 yards to go for a go ahead touchdown.
Dutes and Crook pick up 5 and 4 yards respectively, leaving an all important third and 1. But it was not to be on this night, as the snap hits the turf, and Crook recovers, but after losing a couple of yards. An ill timed delay penalty now leaves Naples with a do or die 4th and 8. Crook keeps the ball but can only pick up 2 yards, and the ball goes over to Immokalee on downs.
Johnson immediately rips off a 26 yard run, and two plays later, a little shovel pass to D’Ernst Johnson puts the Eagles away. After another missed PAT, the Indians settle for a 39-28 lead, with only 2:16 to play. The Eagles are not ready to quit, and Morgan returns another short kickoff 25 yards to the Indian 49. He then catches a 13 yard pass to move the ball to the Indian 36. But the Eagles go quietly after that, as the next 4 passes net a loss of 1 yard and the Indians take over on downs on their own 37. Johnson kneels down twice to secure the win, and the fans erupt in what has become a statement game for the Indians. The Hometown crowd was treated to an offensive explosion by QB Johnson, who was able to break tackles, scramble, and run through the Naples defenders at will.
The Eagles lose their undefeated season hopes, but the long term plan remains the same - get better each week and make it to Orlando in December. Bishop Verot will find out next Friday that playing Naples after a loss is not a good idea.
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Billy Crook ran for 3 scores and threw for another but but it wasn't enough as Immokalee came from behind to beat Naples Photo courtesy of the Naples Daily News
