H.S. Football: Eddies edge Vikings

AUBURN — People will mention Ian Mileikis’ two touchdowns, but they won’t stop talking about the Edward Little defensive back’s key interception and a defense that clearly frustrated Oxford Hills into multiple penalties.

Nearly every time the Vikings got something going, there was a yellow flag on the field, or EL’s defense was there to put the kibosh on the them. Oxford Hills racked up 13 penalties for 102 yards.

EL’s defensive heroics in the fourth quarter allowed the Red Eddies to escape with their first victory, a 13-12 win at Walton Field on Friday night.

Mileikis not only scored the game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but came out of nowhere and picked off Brady LaFrance’s pass and ran it back 30 yards with just minutes to go in the game.

“It was excellent, but he almost had an interception before that,” Edward Little coach Dave Sterling said. “He’s played really well for us. That was actually an adjustment that one of my assistant coaches recommended before the game — put Ian back deep in case they did throw, and it really paid off well.

“It’s about a defense persevering — bend but don’t break,” Sterling added. “They had a couple of opportunities where they could have broken us in half. It takes a whole team effort, and I can’t say enough about our “O” line. We played against an excellent defensive line tonight, and when we needed it, it gave us push. We got some good senior leadership up there.”

The Red Eddies were down 12-7 going into the fourth quarter. EL got the ball all back on the 49 after Oxford Hills punted. That’s when Miliekis started lobbing short passes. After marching to the 17, Mileikis reeled off a 16-yard pass to Jeff Clark who brought it to the 1-yard line, where EL’s offensive line then pushed forward to allow Mileikis to score, giving EL a one-point lead after Cameron Cormier’s kick was blocked.

The Vikings started bearing down on the Red Eddies. Penalties threw a wrench into the Vikings’ offense and they opted to go to the air. That’s when Mileikis came up and snatched the ball to throw cold water on a hot Oxford Hills offense.

“I just saw the QB’s eyes look over my side, and I read it,” Mileikis said. “They (Vikings) are a touch team. They are physical.”

When the Vikings got the ball back after EL scored, Oxford Hills passed, pushed and shoved it ways to the 16 yard line. With a fourth-and-1 situation, the Vikes went for it, but EL defense didn’t give an inch.

The Vikings got on the scoreboard first when they took over the 33-yard line and marched right to the 20 where Malik Geiger rushed in for a touchdown. Kaleb Currier’s extra-point kick failed, but the Vikings were in command — for the moment.

The Red Eddies got the ball back and didn’t do much on that possession. But EL went for it on a fourth-and-6 situation at the 48. Hunter Martin ran it back for a touchdown, but a penalty was called on EL and the ball was brought back to the 20 where EL inched its way to the 1. Mileikis kept the ball and scored. Cormier’s kick was good, and proved to be the game-winner in the end.

The Vikings scored with 5:03 left in the half. Geiger scored from the 5-yard line, but Oxford Hiils’ conversion failed, and that would come back to haunt the Vikes.

: Edward Little’s Hunter Martin tries to stop Oxford Hills’ quarterback Brady LaFrance as he breaks through the line for a big gain during Friday night’s football game in Auburn.

: EL quarterback Ian Mileikis is sacked by Oxford Hills’ Malik Geiger during the first half of Friday night’s football game in Auburn.

: Edward Little quarterback Ian Mileikis is hit just as he releases the ball by Oxford Hills’ Sam O’Connor during Friday night’s game. The ball was nearly intercepted by Oxford Hills.

: Edward Little’s Cameron Cormier can’t hang on to a pass in the endzone as Oxford Hills’ Brady LaFrance defends during the first half of Friday night’s football game in Auburn.