Eastern holds off

By STAN SUTTON Courier-Journal Staff Writer

BOISE, Idaho –– The din was deafening. One of America’s least populated states, Idaho, sent 20,176 of its natives into Bronco Stadium here yesterday with a singular purpose: to destroy a team two time zones away that had suddenly become an archrival.

The Big Sky was on a Big High as Eastern Kentucky marched into the valley of death that is in reality a valley in the Rocky Mountains. And like your mailman, neither snow nor wind nor vicious cheers could stop the Colonels from earning a 2317 victory over the team that beat them for last year’s NCAA Division I-AA national championship.

Eastern’s win gives the Colonels a berth in the Pioneer Bowl on Saturday against Idaho State, a 41-12 victor over South Carolina State yesterday. Incidentally, Idaho State defeated Boise 21-10 on September 19.

A year ago in sunny Sacramento, Calif., Boise State had marched 80 yards in the last 55 seconds to beat Eastern in the I-AA title game. But the revenge factor seemed to rest with Boise State yesterday. After that game, several Eastern players had said the Broncos weren’t as tough as teams in their own Ohio Valley Conference. Boise coach Jim Criner, knowing a good psychological tool when he sees one, had made sure 50 players and all points from Canada to Utah knew about the remarks. But for two and a half quarters, Eastern had shut down both Boise State and its fans. Boise’s hopes were going downhill like a skier on new snow, and not until its artificial turf was covered by the white stuff were the Broncos on their own turf.

It was at 8:03 of the third quarter that Criner sent in his best skater, French-Canadian Gerald DesPres. The crowd responded, and so did

The Courier-Journal, Sunday morning, December 13, 1981