The Crimson Knights marred Brown County’s homecoming Sept. 16, topping the home team 14-10.

Brown County is stronger than the Indianapolis homeschool team, said Coach Randy Minniear. Yet, several mistakes and an 85-yard punt return spelled disaster for the Eagles.

Only minutes in, the Knights made a rapid drive to a touchdown and two-point conversion.

Thought the Eagles took some time to mount a response, they managed to hold the Knights to only 6 yards during their next possession.

After the game, a Knights coach approached Minniear and said he was impressed with the Eagles defense, Minniear said. Few teams have ever managed to hold the team down on yards as well as the Eagles did.

Yet, Brown County failed to balance that offensively, Minniear said.

Junior Colten Harper pulled off the Eagles’ only touchdown with less than a minute left in the quarter, and Ben Rygiel kicked in the extra point.

Rygiel was able to follow up in the second half with a 23-yard field goal, putting the Eagles just over the Knights 10-8.

But, the Knights picked up the punt at the 15 yard line and ran it in. Though they failed to make the two-point conversion, those six more points wound up being enough to secure the win.

It was the kind of move the Eagles had been expecting, Minniear said.

“We were worried about a kickoff return, because they have two speedsters, and we worked on it every single night of the week. And what beat us? A kickoff return.” he said.

The Eagles are still a young team with learning to do, Minniear said.

“They’ve got to learn — which I think they will — and I know they will,” Minniear said. “They’ll get better and better.

“I thought we were, really and truly overall, the better team, but they made less mistakes,” he said.

Mostly, Minniear was disappointed for the team to have to take a loss on their homecoming and after a good week of practice.

Yet, he emphasized how well he felt the Eagles had fought, and the importance of not wasting the loss by failing to learn from it.

“We’ve just got to get better; we have to get better. And we will,” he said.