By KARL SCHNEIDER – Photos By AUSTIN SMITH
A crowd of over 26,000 fans, ready to make the needle on the decibel reader in the North end zone shake, found themselves quiet for most of Montana’s Big Sky Conference match-up against the third-ranked Eastern Washington Eagles.
In Montana’s 42-37 loss to the Eagles Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, the Grizzly defense gave up a season worst 457 passing yards to Walter Payton Award hopeful Vernon Adams.
Montana got on the scoreboard first, capping a 12-play, 61-yard game-opening drive with a 40-yard field goal from freshman kicker Ben Worst to take a 3-0 lead.
Eastern Washington answered on their first possession. Adams found wide receiver Ashton Clark for a 4-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-3 lead midway through the first quarter, Adams’ first of six touchdown passes on the day.
Montana regained the lead on a 28-yard scamper by junior running back Jordan Canada to make it 10-7 Griz.
The lead was short lived as once again the Eagles found the end zone, this time from Adams to Cooper Kupp – who finished the day with 11 catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns – and EWU never gave the lead back to the Griz.
The Eagles reached the end zone two more times before half, including an 86-yard touchdown from Adams to wide out Shaquille Hill.
But it wouldn’t be Grizzly football without a little excitement.
Down 42-17 in the fourth, Montana scored 20 unanswered points to make it a one-possession game.
But last week’s miracle win was not meant to be repeated when the Eagles grabbed Montana’s onside kick attempt with just over a minute left to play.
One bright spot for Montana was the play of sophomore wide receiver Ellis Henderson, who finished the day with eight grabs for 147 yards and three touchdowns.
After back-to-back home games, the Griz hit the road for their next two games, next Saturday against Sacramento State and in two weeks against the University of South Dakota.