FOOTBALL FRIDAY: Uniontown at Crest -- Eagles look to bounce back vs. Lancers

Though they were unable to hold on for the victory, Uniontown showed it could compete with some of the top teams in the state in a 48-22 loss to Madison last Friday night.

The Eagles led 16-0 early in that contest but the visiting Bulldogs scored the next 40.

"At that point, I don't know if Madison woke up or if we were a bit emotionally drained from being so keyed up," Uniontown head coach Chad Stroud said. "We just didn't execute at the same level for the rest of the half. Madison started looking like the team we were expecting and began taking control and scored the next 40 points.

"At halftime we addressed how our level of execution dropped after those first couple possessions. We felt we could come out and reestablish the line of scrimmage like we began the game and stay committed to our running game. Our kids fought their hearts out the rest of the game, playing them 8-6 the second half. Although it is a loss, it is a game we can learn a lot from and get better."

An opportunity to get things back on track -- while not looking ahead to a battle with Eight-Man Division II No. 1 Chetopa at Uniontown next week -- comes up tonight in a Three Rivers League game at Crest.

Uniontown is 1-0 in the league and 1-1 overall. Crest is 2-0, 2-0 with blowout wins over Pleasanton, 45-0, in the season opener and Marmaton Valley, 50-22, last Friday night.

Meanwhile, Chetopa (2-0, 2-0) plays at Pleasanton Friday night. The Green Hornets have outscored their first two opponents, Marmaton Valley and St. Paul, 116-6 and have not yet played past halftime.

Kickoff tonight at Colony is set for 7 p.m.