Sam Eaton
Pirate Competitor of the Week 10/25/21
Junior football player and cross country runner Sam Eaton is this week’s Pirate Competitor of the Week sponsored by Galena Culver’s and the Galena Gazette. Eaton was nominated separately for his performances this past week in both sports. On Friday, Sam had 10 carries for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Pirates’ 49-14 victory over East Dubuque. The next morning at the Winnebago Regional, Sam finished 40th overall with a time of 17:23 on the 2.85 mile course. Sam finished as the team’s #4 runner and his points enabled the co-op to finish fourth overall and qualify as a team for the sectional meet next weekend. According to coach Ed Freed “Sam made some big explosive runs that we needed in a crucial game. His first touchdown early in the game was an electrifying run that helped grab the momentum early and gave everyone a boost of confidence. Sam has continued to work hard on his game and that is really paying off.” Sam was honored with a gift basket from the Galena Culver’s, as well as a newspaper courtesy of the Galena Gazette.
Also Nominated:
Senior Ethan Hefel helped lead the Pirates on both sides of the ball in a must win game over East Dubuque. Ethan was 4-6 for 108 yards and 2 TD’s passing, and also rushed for 2 touchdowns. He also made some big plays on defense as he had two big interceptions and 4 tackles. Ethan concluded the regular season throwing for 14 touchdowns and 946 yards against only 1 interception. Coach Ed Freed praised the effort “Ethan has been a great leader for us on both sides of the ball all year. This was a huge game for us and he came through again with some big plays.”
Junior runner Samantha Callahan competed in the IHSA Cross Country Regional at Winnebago on Saturday and finished 14th overall with a time of 18:56 on the 2.85 mile course. That placement qualified her individually for the sectional meet in Oregon next weekend.
