By Ray Hamill — While others may have doubted them, the Eureka players never doubted themselves.
That was the message from team leaders Easton Taerea and Bryson Burns after their thrilling come-from-behind win over Marshfield.
That, and the fact they need to use that big win to keep their season going and kickstart a challenge for this year’s Pacific League championship.
“I think that game will give us a lot of confidence for the rest of the season,” Taerea said. “Everyone was doubting us after the past few seasons, but seeing how hard we played I think it’s going to be good for us going into the next few games.”
Burns echoed the sentiment, while stressing the players can’t get carried away with one win.
“We definitely needed that one,” the quarterback/safety said. “It gave us a lot of confidence, but we’ve got to make sure we don’t turn that into cockiness.”
One of the most storied programs in H-DNL history, the Loggers have struggled substantially in recent years.
They came into this year with a combined record of 10-38 over the previous five campaigns, including a 2-19 mark in league play, and dating back to 2018 they have won just two of 24 official league games.
Whether they can turn the corner this season remains to be seen, but the weekend win and the manner in which it was achieved has the players believing.
Burns and Taerea were also quick to credit their teammates for the performance, which saw the Loggers tie the game in the dying seconds of regulation with a touchdown and two-point conversion after a fumble recovery and return by Scotty Brogan gave them possession inside the Marshfield five.
“I think it was a full team effort, and not just one player,” Burns said. “Everyone did their job. All the way through the game the energy was up.
“We never doubted.”
Taerea, who plays middle linebacker and running back, was impressed with the heart his teammates showed.
“It was a huge win. We definitely needed it as a team, and we earned that one, especially after those first two games,” the senior standout said. “As a team, everyone came out to play and it shows we have more in us.
“What mostly impressed me was the amount of heart everyone put into the game, and ultimately it led us to come back. I loved to see how we kept pushing.”
Like many of their peers around the H-DNL, the Eureka players put in a lot of work during the offseason to prepare for the season, and that hard work is now finally paying off.
That hard work is also something the team leaders appreciated about their teammates.
“I like the energy that we’ve brung all the way through the offseason to now,” Burns said. “I really appreciate how much work the guys have put in.”
According to Taerea, the Eureka players “kept coming out and getting batter.”
That improvement has been noticeable on one side of the ball in particular.
“I’d say our defense is one of our strengths right now. We play hard to the ball,” Taerea said. “And it’s looking like a solid unit out there.”
The team defense certainly came to play against Marshfield, most noticeably in the overtime period with junior defensive end Nevan Rose making a tackle in the backfield to deny Marshfield on fourth-and-goal.
“I think our defense definitely has been a big factor,” Burns added. “We had good energy all the way through the game.”
The Loggers have a bye this week, before facing a tough challenge against a Ferndale team that has not lost a regular season game since October 2024, a run of 15 straight games.
And the Eureka players naturally are expecting a battle.
“They’re a tough team,” Burns said. “They hit hard, they’re aggressive. It’s not going to be an easy game for us, and that’s what we want.”
Taerea agrees.
“That game is definitely going to be a hard game for us,” he said. “They run the ball pretty hard, and they’re a physical team that will fight for all four quarters.”
So too do the Loggers, who are hoping they have turned the corner after last week’s win and that better times are ahead.
Asked what he expects from this team the remainder of the season, Burns answered emphatically.
“Always getting better,” he said. “And doing it for the team, making sure everyone is buying in and wanting to win. And ultimately the goal is to win.”
