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Nick Page - Waitsburg Times
17
Winner Eastern Oregon EOU 10-2
0
Marian MU 11-1
Winner
Eastern Oregon EOU
10-2
17
Final
0
Marian MU
11-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
EOU Eastern Oregon 0 10 7 0 17
MU Marian 0 0 0 0 0

Game Recap: Football | | Evan House, Sports Information Assistant

No. 9 EOU Football Upsets No. 1 Marian in Defensive Thriller, 17-0

INDIANAPOLIS –  The No. 9 EOU football team took to the road Saturday afternoon to play No. 1 and defending national champion, Marian. In what would arguably be the biggest win in program history, the Mountaineers took to Indianapolis and shutout the Knights, 17-0.
 
In what many felt would be a game between two high-powered offenses, the defenses actually did all the talking. As the Blue and Gold forced six interceptions and a fumble on an offense that was averaging 52 points this season.
 
In Marian's 10 years of program history, the Knights have seen two national titles and a second place finish in 2014. Yet, no team has done what EOU (10-2) did, holding the Knights to zero points.
 
Six different Mountaineers combined for the six interceptions as senior linebacker Tucker Stanley, junior defensive back Justin Hughes, senior defensive back John Payne, senior defensive back Kalliy Ceesay, senior linebacker Jared Jensen and junior defensive back Jorden Payne all got a piece of the action. John Payne, who returned his interception 35 yards for a pick six, scored EOU's first points of the game and earned Defensive Player of the Game.
 
Junior linebacker Michal Arenas led the way for EOU taking down 17 total tackles, including one and a half tackles for a loss. Stanley wasn't far behind combining for 11 total tackles.
 
Senior quarterback Zach Bartlow completed 21 passes for 131 yards in route to being named Offensive Player of the Game. Senior running back Alfred Gross galloped for 74 yards on the Marian (11-1) defense.
 
The Knights are now 1-3 all-time against Frontier Conference opponents and came into the game riding a 20-game win streak, the longest active streak in the NAIA. The win over Marian gives EOU its first win over the top-ranked team since they upset Carroll in 2011.
 
THE RUNDOWN
In EOU's second playoff game ever, the Mountie defense forced two consecutive red zone turnovers on Marian's first two possessions of the game.
 
On Marian's first possession the Knights drove 63-yards before Jorden Payne forced and recovered a fumble. Despite a Mountie punt on their first possession, EOU nabbed an interception just six plays into the Knights second possession.
 
However, the next five possessions would end in punts until John Payne returned his interception 35 yards for a touchdown with 9:19 until halftime.
 
As time expired in the first half, sophomore kicker Nathan Harden drilled a 23-yard field goal to give EOU a 10-0 lead at the break.
 
Into the third, both EOU and Marian held each other to punts on their first two possessions. However, the Knights second punt of the half would be returned 64 yards by Isaiah Richie for EOU's second touchdown of the day.
 
Later on Marian's third drive of the stanza, Hughes grabbed his interception off Marian's Ethan Darter, as the Mountaineers picked off their third pass of the game. Despite the turnover, the Marian defense stood strong, preventing the Mounties from scoring.
 
Thanks to a 17-point lead, the EOU defense played even more motivated in the fourth and final quarter. The Blue and Gold picked off Darter three more times in the fourth, while also forcing two turnovers on downs as Marian failed to put points on the board.
 
Despite the score deference, Marian recorded 21 first downs compared to EOU's 15. However, the Mounties controlled the third down attempts finishing 6-for-17 while the Knights were 0-for-9.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
 
2,005 – Miles traveled for EOU between La Grande and Indianapolis.
10 – Wins on the season for EOU.
7 – Turnovers forced by the EOU defense.
 
UP NEXT
EOU travels to Baldwin City, Kan. next Saturday to take on No. 2 Baker. Kickoff is TBA.
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