The quality of one’s life has been described as twenty percent what happens to you, and eighty percent what you make of it. It is an adage that encourages one to overcome adversity, to actively live one’s life as opposed to merely taking what comes and bemoaning one’s circumstances. It is a harkening to persistency, that ability to press on in the face of failure.
Persistency was exactly what the Senators displayed this Friday night as they edge the host Musketeers for an opening season win, 20-16.
“Sometimes you just got to have some guts,” said first year head coach Jeremy Lowery. “We got stuff to work on, but time and time again we showed our toughness.”
Eastern would receive the opening kick off and put together an 80 yard drive to strike first, claiming an early 8-0 advantage.
The Senators would waste little time answering, as junior running back Lee “Roper” McPheeters followed great blocking to score from 65 yards out. Sophomore quarterback Kenton Chase would run around the end for the 2 point conversion to knot the score at 8.
The Senator defense would force a 3 and out on a nice pass break up by junior cornerback Wyatt Johnston.
Following a nice punt return by Chase, the Senators would take advantage of the short field, culminating in a 6 yard scamper by Chase for the score. With the PAT no good, the Senators lead 14-8.
The Musketeers would not go quietly, however, as they marched the ball back down the field, garnering a touchdown and converting the 2 point conversion, to take back the lead 16-14.
The defenses would stiffen their backs in the 2nd quarter, as the teams traded turnovers and punts, with Johnston ending an Eastern drive with an interception leading into halftime.
The Senators would take their opening drive of the second half into Eastern’s redzone before turning the ball over on downs. The Senator defense, in a theme that would reverberate throughout the second half, would answer, with senior defensive tackle Garrett Cooper tackling the Eastern runner for a loss to force a punt.
The teams would trade possessions before the Senators would put together what would be the winning drive. After junior running back Ethan Roberts ripped off a 30 yard run into Eastern territory, McPheeters would punch the ball into the endzone to give the Senators a 20-16 lead.
The teams would trade possessions, before Eastern’s final drive would come to an end as Roberts pressured the quarterback from his defensive end position on fourth down, forcing a rushed throw that fell harmlessly to the turf.
The Senator (1-0) will be back in action Friday night at Art Sanders Field versus the Clarksville Generals (0-1).