Receivers Rise, Defense Grits in Loss | Spokane News

Eastern Washington’s season opener fell short, but the receivers stepped up in a big way—especially redshirt sophomore Drew Carlson, who hauled in nine catches for 75 yards in his first start. Quarterback Nate Bell praised Carlson’s performance, while Jaxon Branch and Wesley Garrett also shined with touchdowns and key contributions. The defense showed grit, led by safety Bryce Smith’s 14 tackles, and linebackers hit career highs. Special teams had costly errors—including a muffed punt and a kickoff return TD—but kicker Soren McKee nailed a career-high 53-yarder. Despite the loss, the Eagles found plenty to build on as they head into the next game. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e20ed79be42b27ca