AUBURN – After a 26-yard pass on fourth down, the Edward Little football team was in prime position to keep its momentum moving and grab the lead Friday night.

The Red Eddies were set up at the 9, but EL’s hopes to upset Windham ended there.

Edward Little failed to convert that opportunity and then watched the Eagles moved the ball downfield to score the go-ahead touchdown. Forced to play catch-up and unable to jump-start its offense the rest of the way, EL dropped a 20-7 decision to Windham.

“That’s kind of been the story,” said EL coach Jim Hersom. “We’ve been in every football game. If we make a play here or there, then it could have been a different outcome. Our kids deserve better, but we’re going to be better for it in the long run.”

EL’s passing game completed 6-of-9 passes for 97 yards during its first three possessions. After Steve Simpson hit Brent Miller on a fourth-and-five pass that carried 26 yards, the Red Eddies (1-6) were 9 yards from taking the lead. After a stuffed run and an incomplete pass, Josh Charles hit Robie Leighton for a 5-yard loss. Another incomplete pass ended that drive.

Windham (6-1) turned around and marched 86 yards for the tiebreaker. Richard Lindsay burst up the middle on fourth down from the 2 to put Windham ahead 14-7 with 59 seconds left in the half.

“That was big,” said Windham coach Matt Perkins, whose club was missing three starters that depleted his defensive backs and receiving corps. “That drive was huge. Our offensive line picked it up.”

Windham made it 20-7 on its first possession of the second half. Christopher Molleur, who led all rushers with 182 yards on 31 carries, plunged in from the 1 with 8:40 left in the third quarter.

The Eagles’ running game totalled 309 yards, while the passing game had some success with 90 yards on eight completions.

“The line just put it on their shoulders,” said Perkins. “We wanted to conserve and keep our defense off the field and just pound. We did a decent job of that.”

EL couldn’t muster the offense to produce a comeback. The Red Eddies were held to 3 yards on the ground. After the passing game started strong, EL completed just three of their final 16 attempts for 50 yards, much of that coming in the final quarter.

“We had a few drops in the third quarter,” said Hersom. “If we’d caught some of those we’d have been able to move the ball. Maybe we could have gotten some momentum going.”

EL did have adequate field position in the final quarter and time to make something happen. The Red Eddies stalled at the Windham 38 and turned the ball over on downs at midfield.

“I think our kids played real hard again,” said Hersom. “I’m awful proud of them. We don’t have a lot to show for it. We’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons this year. We’re just trying to take all the positives from every game and just build from it.”

EL had taken the 7-0 lead on a 26-yard swing pass from Simpson to Leighton with 7:45 left in the first quarter, taking advantage of a Leighton interception. Windham answered with 3:45 left in the quarter on a Molleur 2-yard run.

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