They needed time enough to begin wearing down the larger West Trojans and space enough for Seth Collins and his cohorts to make enough key plays to put the game away.
Collins rushed for 104 yards and broke loose on a 48-yard third-quarter touchdown scamper that gave the Eagles breathing room in a tight game and propelled them to a 28-12 season-opening victory at damp Eagle Stadium.
The start of the two-hour, 45-minute game was delayed 35 minutes as severe thunderstorms passed through the area shortly before players would have taken the field.
After taking a narrow 7-6 lead into halftime, Collins’ touchdown jaunt at the 7:53 mark of the third quarter gave the Eagles a burst of momentum that carried them through the rest of the game.
Quarterback David Rosenau hit rangy Clayton Whitmire in stride on a 50-yard bomb later in the third quarter to increase the Eagles’ lead and further deflate the Trojans.
Following a stop deep in Trojan territory, the Eagles took over at the West 48 to start their second possession of the second half. That possession lasted just one play as Collins squirted through the line of scrimmage and set sail virtually untouched for the touchdown. The second of Leo Galvan’s four extra points made it 14-6.
The Eagles took advantage of good field position and the Trojans’ struggling kicking game for another one-play scoring drive. An illegal procedure penalty put the Eagles at midfield where Rosenau launched his strike to Whitmire to make it a 21-6 going into the final quarter.
That touchdown was a bit of perfection in a game otherwise lacking in much offensive majesty. Salado put together a workmanlike 212 yards of offense, split almost evenly on the ground and through the air. The Eagle defense held the Class 3A Trojans to just 28 yards rushing and 148 overall.
Garrett Ward, who had a stellar night of punting, reaped his own rewards by picking off a Jarrod Harris pass and returning it 25 yards for the touchdown with 5:09 remaining for a 28-6 advantage to put the game away. Ward executed six punts for more than 38 yards, keeping the Trojans in their own territory most of the night.
Salado was able to overcome for turnovers. Only its last one, a fumble that West’s Nathan Adams pounced on at the Eagle 16 led to Trojan points. Harris hit Collin Sykora alone in the end zone for a cosmetic touchdown with 2:25 left to account for the final margin.
Despite having difficulty moving the ball most of the first half and a scoreless opening quarter, the Eagles used a boost from their special teams to get into scoring position for the first points of the game.
Matt Fritsch took a West punt back 23 yards to the Trojan 28. Collins took a misdirection handoff 19 yards to the 9 on the next play.
On third and goal, Rosenau hit Galvan on a swing pass in the right flat coming out of the backfield. Galvan lowered his shoulders and worked his way into the end zone. He kicked the extra point for the Eagles’ 7-0 lead with 3:24 left before halftime.
West’s Ethan Martin took the ensuing kickoff back 37 yards to the Salado 46. The Trojans benefited from the help of a pair of penalties on the Eagle secondary to complete a scoring drive and answer West’s touchdown.
Sykora found a crease in the Eagle coverage and hauled in a 7-yard pass from Harris to put the Trojans on the board 22 seconds before the break.
Harris was busy, but managed to complete just 14 of 33 passes for 120 yards against the stifling Eagle defense. Sykora caught six passes for 74 yards.
Rosenau was a steady 10 of 15 for 101 yards to six different receivers. He completed all five of his attempts in the second half.
Salado will hit the road for its final two non-district games, traveling to McGregor next Friday and to Hamilton in two weeks.
twaits@temple-telegram.com
