CHARLOTTESVILLE — They showed their resiliency to get back in the game.
They’ll need to show it again after a heartbreaking loss.
Eastern Hancock, on the verge of being down three touchdowns in the first half, gained momentum on a Pick-6 from senior Cole Rainbolt, then had the ball at the Monroe Central 11 with a chance to win it when time ran out.
The Royals lost to the unbeaten Golden Bears 27-21 on senior night in a battle for first place in the Mid-Eastern Conference.
“Our kids don’t give up,” Eastern Hancock coach Phil Morris said. “Sometimes we don’t know how to start, but we do not give up. I’m proud of the effort, proud of the seniors. It was a great environment, and championship caliber ball. We’re going to get better from it.
“We’ll lick our wounds. I told them I can’t say anything that can make the hurt go away. That’s the nature of it, when you fight that hard and you come up short. They’re resilient. It’s on to Shenandoah.”
Monroe Central (7-0, 3-0) ranked No. 3 in Class A led 14-0 and got to the Eastern Hancock 5-yard line late in the second quarter.
Golden Bears’ quarterback Jackson Ullom’s pass bounced off his receiver’s hands right to Rainbolt, who went 90 yards for a touchdown as the first half came to an end.
“It was right place right time,” Rainbolt said. “I saw one of their wide receivers go in motion, then come out. I knew I had to come up. I was a free player. When he bobbled it in the air, I knew I was going to catch it and take it to the house.”
It was just the momentum the Royals needed.
Though it was the Bears offense, it was the first points Monroe Central had allowed in over three weeks. The Bears came in giving up only 24 points all season, 18 came in a 19-18 win over MEC-foe North Decatur.
Monroe Central scored on its first second-half possession to extend its lead to 20-7, but the Royals came fighting back again.
Rainbolt, as a running back, and quarterback Houston Swan got most of the Royals yardage on the ground. Swan then connected with classmate Landon O’Neal on an 11-yard pass play to get to the MC 1. Swan scored on a keeper to cut it to 20-14 with 2:44 left in the third.
Again, Monroe Central bumped its lead back up to 13. Running back Joel Kennedy, who had three touchdown runs on the night scored on a 1-yarder to give the Bears a 27-14 lead.
The Royals quickly cut the deficit back to six, 27-21. Swan went 5-for-6 on the drive, ending it with a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chase Riggs with 1:08 left in the game.
A successful onside kick was recovered by Kain Sotelo. The Royals had the ball at the Monroe Central 42 with one minute left to try to knock off the unbeaten Bears.
Swan completed a pass to Sotelo to get to the 23, then scrambled a couple of times, to get to the 11. That is where the drive stopped as time ran out.
The Royals were hurt early in the game by a couple of missed opportunities.
On the game’s opening drive, Eastern Hancock got to the Bears 37 before consecutive sacks of Swan forced them to punt.
Down 7-0, the Royals took 8:32 off the second-quarter clock, but did not come away with any points.
Four times on the drive, which started at their own 27, they converted on fourth down. They got to the Bears 5, but two negative running plays and an incomplete pass brought on kicker Aaron Redmon to attempt a 30-yard field goal.
The try hit the left upright.
“Finishing drives. We talked this week that we had to run the football, not give up big plays, play mistake free and finish drives. We did three of those four, pretty much,” Morris said. “They’re a good team. Hats off to them.
“(After the game) in the huddle, I told them they fought. We’ve been searching for an identity and I think we came of age and showed what we’re made of. We’re a good team and I’m very proud of them.”
Swan finished 13 of 29 for 136 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Rainbolt was a workhorse in the Royals backfield. He rushed the ball 25 times for 87 yards. Swan also had 41 yards on the ground.
Kennedy led the Bears ground attack with 20 carries for 129 yards.
The teams came in part of a three-way tie for first place in the Mid-Eastern Conference. Both teams and Shenandoah were 2-0 in league games. The Golden Bears are the defending conference champions. Eastern Hancock won the league in 2019.
Eastern Hancock dropped to 4-3 and 2-1 in the conference. It goes on the road next week to take on Shenandoah (4-2, 2-0) before wrapping up the regular season at Lapel (5-2).
Monroe Central hosts Purdue Polytechnic next week before traveling to Shenandoah.
“We’ve got all kinds of fight, offense, defense, special teams,” Rainbolt said. “Our special teams got two onside kicks. Coming up short (stinks). I love this team and I love the fight they gave tonight. I appreciate all of them. It stinks. It’s Senior Night.”
“We wanted it,” Morris added. “That’s something you don’t teach. The kids wanted it so bad. I feel for them, but you can’t ask any more effort.”
Monroe Central 27, Eastern Hancock 21
MONROE CENTRAL (7-0, 3-0);7;7;6;7;—;27
EASTERN HANCOCK (4-3, 2-1);0;7;7;7;—;21
MC—Joel Kennedy 2 run (Elijah Taylor kick),:47.8
MC—Luke Jones 19 pass from Jackson Ullom (Taylor kick), 10:23
EH—Cole Rainbolt 90 interception return (Aaron Redmon kick),:00
MC—Kennedy 1 run (kick failed), 7:03
EH—Houston Swan 1 run (Aaron Redmon kick), 2:44
MC—Kennedy 1 run (Taylor kick), 2:47
EH—Chase Riggs 20 pass from Swan (Redmon kick), 1:08
