Matadors Can’t Crash Party

For a while, for a crazy few minutes, the upset seemed possible.

Cal State Northridge, reduced to the role of spoiler, surprised title-chasing Eastern Washington with 10 early points in a Big Sky Conference game Saturday that chilled the 4,179 fans at Woodward Stadium as much as the 47-degree temperature.

But then reality set in and the Eagles, in hot pursuit of their first outright conference championship, recovered for a 39-32 victory that capped a near-spotless season and ignited a wild celebration on the field.

It was another bitter defeat for Northridge (5-6, 3-4 in Big Sky play), which anticipated challenging for the conference title but is fighting to break even with one game left.

The Eagles (10-1, 7-1), picked to finish third in the Big Sky, secured the conference’s automatic bid to the Division I-AA playoffs that start Nov. 29.

Northridge didn’t make it easy.

The Matadors threatened until the final seconds, driving to the Eastern Washington 40 and nearly completing a long pass play with nine seconds to play that would have given them one last shot at tying the score.

On the play, receiver Aaron Arnold caught a pass from Aaron Flowers on the left sideline at the Eastern Washington seven but fumbled the ball as he fell out of bounds. One official called it a catch but was overruled by other officials.

“Everything happened so fast,” said Jim Fenwick, Northridge’s coach. “Looking at the overall game, we shouldn’t have been in that position.”

On the next play, Flowers’ desperation pass into the end zone bounced off receiver Drew Hill and linebacker Maurice Perigo before hitting the ground as time ran out.

Flowers, who completed 35 of 57 passes for 458 yards and one touchdown, said he never saw Arnold’s play. Like he was doing much of the game, he was staring at the sky after being hammered as he released the ball.

The Eagles sacked Flowers seven times, and he fumbled twice, but Eastern Washington failed to capitalize even though one came at the Northridge five early in the third quarter.

Northridge out-gained the Eagles, 518 yards to 515, but again had problems stopping the run, yielding 224 yards on the ground.

Senior Rex Prescott, who entered the game leading the Big Sky in rushing with 1,284 yards, added 210 and scored three touchdowns. He established an Eastern Washington career record with 2,929 yards rushing.

Prescott’s 39-yard run with 4:40 to play in the first quarter pulled the Eagles to within 10-7, after the Matadors scored on a two-yard pass from Flowers to Jerome Henry and a 25-yard field goal by Manny Marquez.

The Eagles moved ahead, 21-10, in the second quarter on touchdown passes of 11 and four yards from Harry Leons to Jeff Ogden.

Flowers scored on a one-yard run around left end to cut the deficit to 21-18 at halftime.

“It looked like in the second quarter, we went dormant for a while,” Fenwick said.

Prescott added scoring runs of one and 30 yards in the second half, the second one giving the Eagles a 39-25 advantage with 7:47 to play.

Flowers scored on a one-yard run 1:47 later, capping a four-play, 65-yard drive.

“It’s tough to watch us lose like that when you know the capabilities of the team,” said Arnold, who had 11 receptions for 97 yards.

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Eastern Washington 39 Northridge 32

Big Sky Results

Montana 38

Weber State 13

Idaho State 26

Portland State 24

Montana State 30

CS Sacramento 6

Big Sky Roundup, C17

JC Football Results

Glendale 28, Pierce 21 (ot)

Valley 48, Santa Monica 14

Moorpark 63, Harbor 32

Roundup, C17