A Tale of Two Havles for the Eagles Facing the Blue Raiders

Waleska, GA - Reinhardt Football faced off against the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders in a closely contested NAIA matchup. Despite a strong start, the Eagles were unable to hold their lead, ultimately falling to the Raiders with a final score of 35 to 27.  It was a much-anticipated game in the NAIA on Saturday between two NAIA powerhouse programs.

The game began promisingly for the Eagles, dominating the first half and securing a 24-14 halftime lead. Key performances included touchdowns from freshman Ty Jones and quarterback Taylor Jackson. Jackson had two rushing touchdowns for the Eagles that came from short yardage.  Jones had the first score of the game, coming from a 46-yard pass from Jackson.

The Eagles' offense was complemented by noteworthy defensive plays, including quarterback sacks by Markell Sutton, Damian Deloney, and Nolan Marshall.  The defense held tough against a strong running game by the Blue Raiders in the first half, allowing the offense to build up a ten-point halftime lead.

The second half saw a shift in momentum as the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders began to close the gap, led by strong performances from Stevin Mack with two crucial 1-yard touchdown runs and additional touchdowns from Khia Sherrard, Taborie Reed, and Davontaye Saund. Despite efforts to regain control, including a striking 46-yard pass touchdown by Ty Jones, the Eagles could not maintain their lead.

Offensively, Taylor Jackson ended the game with a 10-22 for 171 yards passing and one touchdown and two touchdowns on the ground. The ground game was also strong, highlighted by Jah Colbert's 110 yards on 10 carries. Despite these individual successes, it was not enough to secure a win for the Eagles, whose record now stands at 1-3 for the season.

Defensively, the Eagles were led again by Braylon Jones, who recorded 9 tackles total - 3 solo and 6 assists.  Also leading the way for the Eagles were middle linebacker Adam Mweemba and Deloney.  They both finished with 7 total tackles each.  Mweemba had 3 solo and 4 assists.

Kicker/punter Alex Hanson had another great game for the Eagles. He was 3 for 3 on extra points, 2 for 2 with field goals, and he had 3 punts averaging 43.3 yards (54 was his long). Hanson is a consistent, solid performer for the Eagles' special teams.  

There is still much to play for this season as the AAC schedule begins in two weeks.  Reinhardt will need to run the table through the conference schedule, and they will earn a spot in the 2025 NAIA Playoffs.

Looking ahead, the Eagles are set to face the Bulldogs of Union Commonwealth at Ken White Field on October 4, 2025, aiming to turn around their season with a much-needed victory. Despite the start to the 2025 season, the Eagles have traditionally had successful runs in the AAC the past several years, which gives Eagles' fans a lot to look forward to as the season progresses. Reinhardt has been the AAC champion the past nine seasons since switching over from the Mid-South conference.

photo courtesy of NicoleCphotography.com