Three crucial fumbles - including two inside the 5-yard line - cost the Eagles in their 19-16 overtime loss to McGregor on Friday night at Eagle Stadium. After the Eagles’ third fumble, this one in the overtime, McGregor’s Dirk Gerhardt nailed the game-winning 42-yard field goal.

“We had mishaps in crucial situations all night,” said Salado coach Jeff Cheatham, whose team's 16-game regular-season winning streak was snapped. “We made a lot of mistakes that we haven’t been making.”

Salado (2-1) took a 16-9 lead early in the fourth quarter on quarterback Garret Ward’s second touchdown pass of the night to Clayton Whitmire.

But after that, the Eagles fumbled the ball away on two of their next three possessions. McGregor (2-1) took advantage on quarterback Larry Smith’s 7-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 16 with 3:29 left.

Salado had one last chance in regulation after an interception by Josh Rodriguez gave the Eagles the ball at the Bulldogs’ 40-yard line.

Ward, who finished with 300 total yards, fumbled the ball at the 3-yard line at the end of regulation.

Salado had possession first in overtime and got the ball down to the 2-yard line before a Logan Foster fumble turned it over to McGregor to set up Gerhardt’s field goal.

rschneider@temple-telegram.com