Eagles soar, close regular season on a high note

The Express Electronics Eagles were cruising Saturday and closed the regular season on a high note with a one-sided 48-8 victory over the Miller Barbarians at the CPA Airport Field.

The Eagles had a good start despite being flagged for a delay of game, which meant the team would start from the 12-yard line instead of the 17-yard line.

No harm was done, though, as the Eagles soared with their running game—which moved the ball 75 yards—and eventually made it to the end zone for the early 6-0 lead when running back Semisi Paongo rushed for a three-yard score. The lead was stretched when Paongo made good on the two-point conversion.

The Barbarians put up a good start as well, opening with a 38-yard run by quarterback Alvin Atalig, but the team was not able to do damage and the Eagles managed to get the ball back with no harm done.

Instead of working ahead, though, the Eagles suffered a setback as the Barbarians defense forced running back Stanley Iakopo to run out of bounds in the Eagles’ own end zone for a safety, 2-8.

The speedy Iakopo, however, would get redemption as he scored on an eight-yard run with 4:49 left in the second quarter, while Paongo followed with the two-point conversion again to pad the Eagles’ lead, 16-2.

The Eagles then broke the game wide open as they continued to move the ball well into Barbarian territory before quarterback Dane Lizama sneaked into the end zone on a three-yard run for a 22-2 advantage with a little over two minutes later.

The clock was ticking away, and instead of resting for the second half, the Eagles continued to run on all cylinders and managed to get another TD courtesy of a one-yard run by Russell Saimon to head into the break ahead 28-2.

While the offense was in the middle of a scoring spree, the defense decided to not only stop the Barbarians, but to also get into the scoring act.

The Barbarians were finding success running the ball in the start of the second half when Junior Ray intercepted a pass by Atalig, then ran like the wind for a 50-yard touchdown return, giving the Eagles a 36-2 lead.

Despite playing another bout with a shorthanded crew, the Barbarians played like warriors as they continued to fight and refused to throw in the towel.

Their never-say-die attitude served them well as they finally hit paydirt three minutes after Ray’s TD. After a losing 13 yards on a run and an incomplete pass, the Barbarianas struck with just one blow as Atalig zipped a pass to B.J. Tagabuel, who hauled the ball in and took off for a 65-yard touchdown, 8-34.

It was all Eagles from then on as Iakopo rushed for another score and converted for the extra two points, while Soni Pomee was credited with the final TD on a three-yard run.

CFL playoffs begins this Saturday at 10am at the CPA field, with the Eagles and the Tinian Typhoon battling for the right to face Shell Lightning for the 2005 championship.