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WILSON – A team already dealing with small numbers faced more adversity due to injuries and sickness on Friday.

Despite being without two starting running backs down the stretch due to injury, the Northeast Academy Eagles battled before coming up short to Community Christian School, 58-44.

The game started without reserve lineman Kyle Hernandez, who was absent due to illness, leaving Northeast with 11 players. That didn’t deter the visitors in their quest to pull the upset, however, as they jumped out to an early 12-0 lead.

Cole Taylor recovered an onside kick to begin the game, giving Northeast good field position at their own 44-yard line.

Jaden Medford, who is one of the region’s leading rushers, picked up 31 of his game-high 273 yards on the first three plays of the game. Judson Smith added a four-yard carry before Medford and Camden White combined to move the ball to the 12-yard line.

From there, Aiden Buren beat the defenders to the corner of the end zone to stake the Eagles to an early 6-0 lead with 8:38 to play in the contest.

Northeast then forced a four-and-out from Community and set up shop at the Cyclones’ 38-yard line. Medford and White had back-to-back carries of five and four yards and then Medford punched it in from 29 yards out. The conversion again came up short and the Eagles led 12-0 with 5:22 remaining in the opening period.

Community Christian started their next drive at midfield and picked up 10 yards on the first play, but Buren picked off a pass to end any threat.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, they lost yardage in three plays and were forced to punt. Sophomore punter Mason Vann, however, changed field position with a 33-yard boot that set the Cyclones back to the midfield stripe.

Community Christian put together its first real drive of the night and marched those 50 yards on six plays, capped by a Jack Beamon nine-yard scamper. The sophomore signal caller then connected with Bailey Bunn on the conversion to close within 12-8 with 43 ticks left on the first quarter clock.

Northeast drove from there into Cyclones’ territory before turning it over on a fumble.

CCS capitalized five plays later when the Beamon-Bunn connection came together for a 35-yard score. Beamon added the conversion and the Cyclones surged ahead 16-12.

After holding NEA to a four-and-out, CCS added to the lead when Beamon found Bunn again – this time from 37 yards out – for a score. The conversion failed, but the Cyclones led 22-12.

An 11-yard kick return by Greyson Bridgers set the Eagles up at midfield on the ensuing possession. Medford picked up the first 31 yards on four carries before Buren scampered 16 yards to the three.

From there, White scored the first of three touchdowns on the night with a three-yard quarterback keeper. Medford added the conversion, and the Eagles were back within 22-20 with 3:34 to play in the first half.

White recovered the onside kick for the Eagles, but a three-and-out forced a punt.

The Cyclones made the Eagles pay, scoring on a 26-yard pass play from Bunn to Beamon as the first half clock expired. The conversion was good and CCS led 30-20 at the intermission.

Community Christian pushed their advantage to 38-20 when they took the opening possession of the third quarter and drove for a touchdown following a 55 yard, eight play drive.

When the Eagles fumbled on the next possession and CCS again scored – this time on a 63-yard pass play from Beamon to Connor Ferguson – the touchdown and conversion seemed to put the game out of reach at 46-20.

The Eagles were far from done, however.

Buren returned the kickoff 18 yards to the NEA 28 before Medford carried the ball twice for 12 yards. He then scampered the remaining 60 yards to paydirt on the next play and added the conversion to close the Eagles within 46-28.

The Cyclones were driving on the next possession until White stepped in front of a pass and returned his interception 38 yards deep into CCS territory.

Medford picked up the first 24 yards and then White scored on a four-yard run. Medford added the conversion and Northeast had closed to within 46-36.

With Vann subbing for Medford, who was dealing with an injury, the backup kicker delivered a high arching kick which was covered up by White, giving the Eagles the ball back at the Cyclones’ 45. Unfortunately, Northeast couldn’t convert and turned the ball over on downs.

CCS made them pay when Jamison Harrell went four yards for a touchdown and Beamon added the conversion to make it 52-36.

Northeast again responded, driving 80 yards on 13 plays capped by White’s one-yard run. Medford added the conversion and the game was back to within one score at 52-44 with 3:58 to play.

That’s when disaster struck and the Eagles lost both Medford and Buren to injury for the remainder of the night.

Community added a late score to establish the final.

Medford again led the way for the Eagles, going for 273 yards on 30 carries and scoring twice. White added 33 yards on 11 carries and three scores while Buren had 23 yards on four carries with one score.

Defensively it was Medford (seven tackles) and Taylor (six stops) that led the Eagles while Bridgers collected four tackles and a pair of assists. Smith and Noah Luckadoo added a trio of tackles each while White had an interception and a pass breakup and Buren contributed one pick and a tackle. Jacob Long also added a key third down tackle for the Eagles.

Northeast will be back at home Friday (Sept. 13) when they host Columbia High School at 7 p.m.