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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
FootballSports

Eagles drop to 20th in polls; prep for Mesa

Jordyn Hulinsky

After losing a close game against No. 4-ranked West Texas A&M Sept. 12, the Eagles prepare for their first home game at Saturday’s Family Day against Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction.

The Eagles dropped from 17 to 20 in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll this week, following their 34-31 loss to the Buffaloes.

Michael Madkins, junior tailback of Sacramento, Calif., scores on a two-yard run to add to the 21 points the Eagles scored in the first quarter against West Texas A&M. —Photo by Ashley Swanson
Michael Madkins, junior tailback of Sacramento, Calif., scores on a two-yard run to add to the 21 points the Eagles scored in the first quarter against West Texas A&M. —Photo by Ashley Swanson

But looking ahead, Colorado Mesa is 1-1 for the season, winning, 34-0, against Menlo College, Atherton, Calif., on Sept. 7, and losing, 26-0, to Montana State University, Bozeman, on Saturday.

Mesa tallied a paltry 168 total yards against Division I Montana State, who produced 403 yards.

Team captains, Glen Clinton, senior tailback of Cody, Wyo., and Jonn McLain, junior quarterback of Chadron, said the team is preparing this week just like it would any other week.

“We are preparing by watching tons of film and going to work on the practice field,” Clinton said. “Everybody knows that we have to put in a full week of work for this one.”

Shea Koch, senior inside linebacker and team captain of Custer, S.D., said the defense is trying some new things this week to stop Mesa’s running game and put some added pressure on the quarterback.

The three men agree that this week the team’s main focus is to finish the game.

“Last week we started the game better than anyone could have expected,” Clinton said. “Unfortunately, we could not finish the game with the same results. We are putting an emphasis on finishing strong in everything that we do.”

McLain shared similar thoughts.

“A key focus for this week is finishing, especially on offense,” he said. “Individually for me, I need to make better decisions and not turn the ball over.”

Koch also agreed with his teammates.

“The biggest focus for the whole team is finishing the game the same way that we start,” he said. “We just need to be more confident and make plays when the time comes.”

The Eagles’ first home game is Family Day. The matchup also is the first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game for both teams.

“Everyone will be excited, not only because it’s the first home game, but also because it’s Family Day and the first conference game,” Koch said. “So we all want to play hard and make a statement.”

McLain and Clinton agreed.

“It will be exciting to play at home, in front of our fans,” McLain said. “We are really looking forward to it.”

“It is Family Day, which is always meaningful to a lot of players and their loved ones,” Clinton said. “I think most of the players are looking forward to not living on a bus this week, either. We are anxious to earn a win in front of the great fans we have here at CSC that come out to watch.”