For most of the first half the Braves (5-3, 2-1) were unable to contain the multi-dimentional Eagle offense nor were they able to sustain much offense. However, the game was eerily similar to the previous week when Santa Margarita stormed out to a comfortable lead only to surrender 20 unanswered points and get saddled with the heartbreaking loss. The game started out promising as Eagle cornerback Colin Schmit recovered a Brave fumble on the opening possession and three plays later Daniels connected with sophomore sensation Ryan Maxwell on a 36-yard scoring pass for the lead at the 9:35 mark. Unfortunately the PAT was missed making it 6-0. The Braves managed to take the lead later in the quarter when Daniel Jenkins scored from three yards out. They padded the lead to 10-6 on 42-yard field goal by Mike Aguila on their next possession when a short field gave them good field position.

From there the Eagle offense clicked as they went on a 10-play 80-yard drive capped by Omar Villamar’s one-yard plunge to make it 13-10. Key plays were an 18-yard completion from Daniels to Jacob Gordon (four receptions for 35 yards), an 11-yard scramble by Daniels for a first down and a leaping 27-yard completion to Kyle Bryant to set up a first-and-goal at the one. After forcing a three-and-out Maxwell returned a punt 53 yards for an apparent touchdown, but it was nullified due to a clip. That didn’t stop the Eagles as they marched to paydirt on the legs of Villamar (25-83) and Maxwell and a beautiful 14-yard scoring strike from Daniels to Bryant (four for 53) to make it 20-10 with 2:52 left in the half.

From there it was all Braves as they managed to put together a 12-play drive in the closing moments before Aguila kicked a 20-yard field goal to make it 20-13 at the break. In the second half the Eagles couldn’t recapture any of their momentum as they punted on four consecutive possessions as the Braves clawed ahead 23-20. With 4:57 left and the ball on their own 38, the Eagles used a mix of runs and passes to bring the ball to the visitor’s 15. On third-and-four Daniels was hit by a defensive lineman and his pass in the flat to Bryan Redsun was intercepted by Brown and the Eagles were suddenly down by 10. A muff by an Eagle upback on a squib kick was recovered by the Braves and they simply ran out the remaining seconds.

Senior Linebackers Mike Rusert (14 tackles) and Colby Rodgers (13 tackles) along with junior strong safety JD Dawson (10 tackles and a sack) led the defensive effort.