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The Eagles scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and then staved off the Lakers, 24-17, in the GTC crossover contest.

Senior back Trevor Phipps scored on runs of 22 and 29 yards and sophomore quarterback Cody Hoff hit tight end Eddy Zapinski on an 11 yard strike for the three quick TDs in the opening 12 minutes. Phipps, Hoff and Tony Santana all ran in two-point conversions. Veteran coach Bill Brown liked the start, but not sustaining the offense was nearly costly.

"We didn't put them away," Brown noted. "We had a chance before the half to get another score but didn't do it."

Leading 24-7 going into the third quarter, Deckerville saw the Lakers added two points on a safety and then eight points on a TD and two-pointer early in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers had two or three more chances on offense, but the Eagles rose to the occasion on defense.

"We had pretty good play on defense in that fourth quarter. We stopped them a couple of times," said Brown. "Billy Ray Howard (senior defensive lineman), had a great game, defensively."

Brown added that the Lakers were not the same team he saw at a scrimmage the week before. "They definitely had the element of surprise (on offense)," explained Brown. "They spread it out and ran out of it."

The Lakers did finish with 255 yards rushing and 68 passing. Deckerville netted 212 on the ground and 16 through the air.

Phipps led the Eagles with 98 yards rushing on 18 carries . Marcus Kemp added 57 yards.

"Our kids came out and played really well in the first quarter," Brown remarked. "We showed signs of being a great football team and we showed signs of being mediocre.

"We're a young team and we're going to learn. I rather learn winning a game than losing, though."

The Eagles will begin their title defense in the East this Thursday night, hosting Brown City.