By By JEFF FISHER / Vigilant/Argus
EDWARDSBURG - Eddies coach Kevin Bartz felt his squad was prepared Friday night to face defending Division 6 State champion Constantine, who defeated the Eddies last year 61-14.
Yet the result was the same as the Falcons defeated the Eddies 31-7 at home.
The Falcons first possession resulted in a touchdown by Lance Cartagena followed by the extra point by Jordan Williams to give them an early 7-0 lead. The scoring drive was set up by an Eddies seven yard punt. Cartagena would strike again as he set up the Falcons with a first and goal, and punched it in a play later to make the score 14-0 with 1:16 remaining in the first quarter.
The Eddies sometimes tenacious defense gave it's offense great field position at the Falcon's 20 yard line, but they couldn't convert a first down and had to turn the ball over on downs to Constantine.
Edwardsburg would make another strike as running back Randy York's first down run would set up David Daniels field goal attempt only to have it fall short.
The Falcon's Jordan Williams was called upon again to split the uprights to make it a 17-0 lead heading into the lockerroom.
The Falcons finished the first half with 153 rushing yards, Travis Denman had 33. The Falcons did not have a single yard through the air.
The Eddies tallied 39 yards rushing. Jeff Mortimer with 21, and York with 16. Eddies were three for 10 in passing for minus 2 yards.
Eddies opened the third quarter with a well sustained drive that would give them first and 10 at the Falcons 12 yard line, only to turn the ball over on downs once again.
Eddies finally hit paydirt late in the third quarter after quarterback Steve Gowen and running back Jeff Mortimer connected on a 30 yard scoring strike to shrink the Falcons lead to 17-7.
The Falcons responded with their first passing attempt of the game when Luke Cartagena hooked up with running back Chris Alwine at the Eddies eight yard line. Brad Smagala's eight-yard touchdown scamper gave the Falcons a 24-7 cushion towards the end of the third quarter.
Constantine added another touchdown when the Eddies lost a fumble on a punt return that led to a 56-yard touchdown run by Brad Smagala to up the lead to 31-7.
A late fourth quarter drive by the Eddies stalled out on the Falcons 15 yard line, when the ball was turned over on downs back to Constantine to end the game.
Eddie quarterback Steve Gowen was 8-of-17 for 98 yards and a touchdown.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.