HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Eastern Arizona and Butler battled late into the Salt City Bowl before a winner was decided.
Butler built a 14-point lead twice, but could never completely put Eastern Arizona away.
The Gila Monsters scored with 1:23 left and trailed the Grizzlies by one.
Eastern Arizona lined up for a two-point conversion, but then called a timeout.
Eastern Arizona left open the possibility that it could return to the field and tie the game with an extra point. However, Gila Monster kicker Patrick LeCoore already had one XP blocked on the rainy afternoon.
Eastern Arizona returned to the field with Jonathan Thomas at QB. He took the snap and bullied his way into the end zone.
Thomas finished the day with 134 yards rushing and 38 yards through the air. He scored 2 TDs on the ground and was named the Salt City Bowl’s offensive MVP.
Butler opened up scoring on the afternoon with a Luke Winter 35-yard FG. He had two other attempts that were not so successful.
Eastern Arizona tied the game in the first quarter on a LeCoore 23-yard FG.
Andrew Hardrick found the end zone for Eastern Arizona early in the second quarter from two yards out to give the Gila Monsters the lead.
LeCoore’s XP was blocked.
The lead was short lived as Butler sent in a new QB.
Easton Bruere started the game but went 1-for-6 early. David Isreal, the starter for most of the season, entered the game and completed a 56-yard pass for a TD immediately.
Butler’s Winter knocked in the XP to give the Grizzlies a 10-9 advantage.
Isreal threw another TD nine minutes later to Luke Vang. This one came ftom 14 yards away.
Andrew Hardrick put the Gila Monsters on the board again with a 1-yard run :45 before halftime.
That tied the score after a Jonathan Thomas two-point conversion, but David Isreal had just enough time to score on a lateral to C.J. Sims that was passed back to Isreal for a 13-yard score.
Butler took a 24-17 advantage into the locker room.
Butler stayed hot on a Kevon Abrams 7-yard run to open up the third quarter.
Jonathan Thomas scored on the ground from 23 yards out to cut the Grizzly advantage.
David Isreal found the end zone once again on a 1-yard dive with :23 left in the third.
From there, Eastern Arizona used the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.
Kevon Abrams lost the ball on a nice carry up the gut.
Justin Ewen swiped the ball off the ground and returned it 25 yards for the scoop-six.
With 1:23 left, Jonathan Thomas willed his way into the end zone and then scored the two-point conversion to win the game for Eastern Arizona.
FINAL: Eastern Arizona 39 Butler 38
David Isreal finished with 246 yards passing and 2 TDs. He also ran the ball for 19 yards and a TD, plus caught a TD pass.
Sean Bernard played solid defense and racked up 21 tackles. He also blocked a FG and forced a fumble to be named the bowl’s MVP.