TOPSHAM – Not that they didn’t think they could stop the Edward Little offense, but the Mt. Ararat Eagles thought it would be a good idea to keep their defense off the field in the first half of Friday night’s Pine Tree Conference clash.

In the second half, it was clear the defense agreed that it would be better off on the sidelines.

The Eagles forced two crucial turnovers in the fourth quarter to protect a five-point lead and eventually snuff the Red Eddies, 20-7.

Sophomore QB Brad Sturgeon ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns and collected a big interception to lead Mt. Ararat (2-4).

The Eddies have now lost four in a row

“The kids are giving us everything they’ve got. We’re just a play here or a play there short. It’s tough right now,” said EL coach Jim Hersom.

Edward Little (1-5) had to overcome a frustrating first half in which it had several opportunities to stop the Eagle offense but gave up some big plays on third and long and fourth down. The Eddies’ special teams also let them down twice.

The first mistake, a blocked punt by Shane Billington recovered by Matt Ahlers at EL’s 13 to start the second quarter, led to MA’s first score. After converting a fourth-and-1, Sturgeon ran it in from nine yards out. The extra point deflected off the right upright, keeping the Eagles’ lead at 6-0.

Mt. Ararat’s offense ran nearly three times as many plays as EL’s in the first half, aided by 14-yard pickup by Jim Ouellette on a fake punt later in the second quarter. The Eagles drove down to EL’s 11 and didn’t score, but they were able to run nearly seven minutes off the clock before turning the ball back over with 27 seconds left in the half.

After throwing the ball just once in the first half, EL came out for the second eager to go to the air. QB Steve Simpson (7-for-23, 111 yards) struggled to find a rhythm early, though, while Ararat took advantage of a 28-yard pass from Sturgeon to Ouellette to help set up Billington’s one-yard TD run that made it 12-0.

A blocked punt at the Eagles’ nine late in the third quarter gave the Eddies the momentum swing they needed. Robie Leighton ran up the middle from the three, spun off a tackler at the one and fell just over the goal line to get EL on the board, with the extra point making it 12-7.

After holding MA to three-and-out, the Eddies looked poised to take the lead when Leighton ripped off a 43-yard run to the Eagles’ 17. A fumble on the next play recovered by MA’s Josh Barajas doused that threat.

“After that big run, it was tenuous, but we caught a lucky break,” said Mt. Ararat coach Erik Sargent.

The Eddies defense held again and set the offense up in good field position at MA’s 46 midway through the fourth. EL got as far as the 33 before Sturgeon nabbed a Simpson pass and returned it into EL territory.

Two possessions later, Sturgeon provided the final nail in the coffin with his longest run of the night, a 38-yard TD jaunt with just under a minute left.