By Ben Shanahan

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

BLOOMDALE — Visiting Eastwood downed Elmwood, 42-7 in the 62nd Annual Battle of the Woods on Friday, avenging the Eagles’ playoff loss to the Royals from last November.

Eastwood was led by junior quarterback Kadyn Donnell’s performance with 366 total offensive yards and five touchdown passes in only three quarters of play.

Donnell completed 19-of-27 passes for 262 yards, hitting eight different receivers, and he also ran for 104 yards on 13 carries.

“This win feels great coming out with my boys and performing as well as we did. It is one of the best feelings in the world.” Donnell said.

“Knowing everyone has my back and anyone can catch a ball, I do not have to worry about a thing.”

The Eagles took home this year’s Log Trophy, which has been passed back and forth since the 1960s.

“Starting the season 2-0 is fantastic,” Eastwood first-year coach Sam Cotterman said. “I thought we were going to come in here and run the ball down their throat, but they defended the run so well.

“But then we ended up throwing for a lot of yards. I am glad guys are seeing that we have to be able to both open up the playbook.”

Meanwhile, Elmwood was hit hard with the injury bug all game long, losing multiple star players, including brothers Mitchell Oliver and Micah Oliver.

“Our kids played hard; we had some young guys step in; we had some key injuries throughout; that is all I can ask from my player — next man up, play hard,” Elmwood coach Greg Bishop said.

“We had some freshmen come on the field and they played their tail off. That is all I can ask from them.”

Both offenses started slow, punting on their first drives. The Royals had the first big play of the game with 5:33 left in the opening quarter as junior Jack Hummel blocked an Eastwood punt, giving the Royals good field position deep in the Eagles’ territory.

The Eagles defense bounced back, however, forcing a big turnover on downs on fourth and six yards to go with their shadows in their own end zone.

That big defensive stop would give Donnell momentum to lead his team on a seven-play, 91-yard drive, capped off with a 20-yard pass from Donnell to senior tight end Kaiden Sanchez.

From there, it was all Eastwood. The defense forced another Elmwood punt, ending the first quarter and letting Donnell shine again, marching his team down the field, this time on a seven-play, 74-yard drive.

Donnell found Andre Lewis on a three-yard pass, giving Eastwood a 14-0 lead with 7:23 left in the half.

It would only take the Eagle defense four plays to get off the field. After the Royals’ senior Brennan Hiser had three carries for a combined 18 yards, the Eagles defense would force a turnover.

Kevin Lewis, one of the defensive stars of the game, would have his first of two turnovers on the night, this one being an interception. After the pick, Donnell found Brock Messinger on the first play from scrimmage with a 32-yard laser, making it 21-0 Eastwood.

Elmwood bounced back the next drive, marching 62 yards, resulting in seven points as Mitchel Oliver found Micah Oliver on a 12-yard touchdown pass, cutting the Eagles lead back down to 14.

Elmwood got the ball back with two minutes left in the half, marched all the way down the field, and was in the red zone with just seconds left in the half.

Unfortunately for the Royals, the drive died on the five-yard line as Eastwood’s Kevin Lewis fell on a fumble before time expired.

The third quarter of the game started out like the first, with both teams punting. On the Eagles second drive, the train got back on track as Donnell threw his fourth touchdown pass.

This time it came after a 62-yard, four-play drive ended with Donnell finding Dayquan Oliver on a 10-yard touchdown, making it 28-7 with 7:08 remaining in the third.

Eastwood’s defense stood tall and forced another turnover on downs, this time on the Royals own 36-yard line.

Donnell, on his last drive of the contest before sitting out the fourth quarter, had one more TD pass to throw.

After a five-play, 36-yard drive, Donnell found Oliver again on a 23-yard pass, making the score 35-7 with 2:11 left in the third quarter.

Eastwood’s defense forced its third turnover of the night and second interception on Elmwood’s next possession. Eastwood junior Cooper Dierksheide intercepted and returned the football for a short gain.

To start the final quarter, Eastwood sophomore Drew Luidhardt took over under center for the Eagles. He led the Eagles on a 51-yard drive ending with Luidhardt breaking free for a 15-yard rushing touchdown with 9:40 left in the game.

Andrew Badenhop led the Eastwood defense with eight tackles and Austin Maize and Kevin Lewis had six tackles apiece.