EUGENE – The Roseburg football team had its best offensive performance of the season, but it wasn’t enough as the team let a first half lead slip away in a 28-17 loss to the South Eugene Axemen on Friday.

Roseubrg got a big night from senior running back Kyle Rackley, who paced the Indians’ offense to more than 250 yards with a 109-yard rushing performance. It was Rackley’s first 100-yard rushing game of the season and he added Roseburg’s only two touchdowns of the contest.

Rackley’s first score came on the opening drive of the game for the Indians. He carried the ball six times, accounting for 39 yards, more than half of the scoring drive. His touchdown came on a 7-yard run and put Roseburg up 7-0. The Indians held that lead going to the second quarter.

South Eugene (1-3; 1-1 SWC) evened the scored on a 9-yard pass from senior Parker Manilla to junior Elliot James early in the second quarter.

The Indians quickly responded by driving 54 yards on the ensuing possession, scoring on a 1-yard plunge by Rackley. Roseburg (0-4; 0-2 SWC) took a 14-7 lead over the Axemen and extended the margin to 10-points on a 35-yard field goal by Tanner Hunt, which made the score 17-7 going to the halftime break. The kick was Hunt’s longest of the season by 11 yards.

That was all the scoring the Indians could manage against the Axemen. In the second half, the Indians offense sputtered. Roseburg punted on two of its six possessions, turned the ball over on downs twice, and threw an interception as well.

Meanwhile, the Axemen offense came alive in the fourth quarter after throwing two interceptions in the third. South Eugene took a 21-17 lead three minutes into the final period on a 23-yard pass from Manilla to Myles Green-Richards. The Axemen added their final score on a 2-yard run with under four minutes left to play.

Roseburg played much of the second half without starting quarterback Sam Tibbets, who spent most of the half sitting on the bench with a towel over his head. His final play of the game was a short scramble on a fourth down attempt in the third quarter, which ended with him getting hit going out of bounds.

Zack Mandera and Colin Warmouth split reps at the backup quarterback position throughout the second half. Warmouth connected on 4-of-7 passes for 38 yards, while Mandera mainly ran the ball, finishing with 42 yards on seven runs.

Senior quarterback Parker Manilla led South Eugene’s explosive offense. The third-year starter tossed for 300 yards on 20-of-35 passing, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Oskar Mertz finished with 103 yards on 20 carries to lead the Axemen on the ground.

The Indians will try to bounce back against conference leader Sheldon on Friday night. Roseburg hosts the Irish at Finlay Field. Kick off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

SCORES BY QUARTER
RHS 7;10;0;0 – 17
SEHS 0;14;0;14 – 28

SCORING:
1st Quarter –
R – Rackley 7 yard run (Hunt kick good)

2nd Quarter –
SE – 9 yard pass Manilla to James (Mertz kick good)
R – Rackley 1 yard run (Hunt kick good)
R – 35 yard field goal by Hunt

3rd Quarter –
None

4th Quarter –
SE – 23 yard pass Manilla to Green-Richards (Mertz kick good)
SE – 2 yard run Awatta (Mertz kick good)