<I>The Eagle/Scott Mallory</I><BR>Mitchell/Dayville/Monument's Patrick Lofton intercepts a pass on the first play of the second quarter. Lofton grabed the errant throw and weaved his way up field for Tigers' first touchdown.

MITCHELL – At the start of the second quarter, Spray/Fossil had the ball and a 6-0 lead over Mitchell/Dayville/Monument. The Eagles were deep in their own territory, but that didn’t keep them from calling for a pass to split end Asa Miller.

It was the first play of the second quarter, and it didn’t go the way the Eagles drew it up in the huddle. Tiger defender Patrick Lofton stepped in front of Miller and weaved his way to the end zone to tie the score.

“I wasn’t expecting anything special,” Lofton said after the game. “I thought I was just going to deflect the ball, but I ended up catching it.”

Lofton rushed up the middle for the conversion, and MDM had the lead on its way to a 27-20 victory in the first TriCo League game for both teams.

On a day that couldn’t decide whether it was going to be cold, rainy or windy, so it was all three at one time or another, the Tigers and Eagles played a hard-hitting, mostly sloppy game before an enthusiastic crowd on both sides of the field.

The Tigers committed four turnovers in the first half, including a fumble that led to the Eagles’ first touchdown.

Playing their first game of the season, the Eagles weren’t working on all cylinders, either. There were botched snaps, errant pitches, missed blocks, a motion penalty that erased a long TD run by Ryan Starr and a blocked punt that MDM’s Guy Anderson picked up and carried into the end zone.

The Eagles didn’t have anything special the refs needed to watch for, coach Dennis Starr said before the game.

“It’s our first game,” Starr said. “It might look tricky, but it’s not supposed to.”

There was nothing tricky about the Eagle defense, which took on the bruising MDM running game straight up and made the Tigers work for every inch they got.

“They have two pretty good backs, and the team hits hard,” Ryan Starr said. “That’s what I like. It makes the game fun.”

On Sept. 23, MDM (2-0) travels to Prairie City; Spray/Fossil (0-1) plays at Burnt River.

Highlight reel: MDM’s Beau (#58) 70-yard kickoff return to start the second half. It was a wobbly, wacky bouncing kick. “I just scooped it up and took off,” #58 said. … Spray/Fossil’s Asa Miller’s two interceptions and three touchdowns. Miller is a 6-4, 170-pound sophomore was a problem all day for the Tigers, who often covered him with three men, but he still caught his share of passes. “If the quarterback gets the ball anywhere near his hands, it’s caught,’ saud coach Starr. … MDM’s Patrick Lofton’s 80-yard TD run from scrimmage. … Spray/Fossil’s Ryan Starr’s halfback option pass to Miller for a touchdown, and his recovery of an onside kick at the end of the third quarter. … MDM’s #64 stealing the ball from an Eagle running back. … MDM’s Neiko Hernandez’s pressure on the quarterback, including two sacks. … MDM’s Josh Ewings’ interception. … MDM coach Felipe Zamora, a 1998 Mitchell graduate, played for coach Starr. “I told my guys not to underestimate Spray,” Zamora said. “I knew Mr. Starr would have his guys ready. He’s a really good coach.”