EKU honors Kidd; Colonels fall to Catamounts in late game thriller

RICHMOND, Ky. (WYMT) - Eastern Kentucky welcomed Western Carolina to Roy Kidd field for their first home game of the season.

The Colonels took the field for the first time since the death of hall of fame coach, Roy Kidd.

“Not only me but everyone that played for him, you learned what it is to have discipline in your life,” said Bob Tarvin, who played on Kidd’s first Colonel team. “You learned what it was to complete a task and always give everything you had.”

Tarvin said Kidd taught just as much off the field as he taught on it.

“He knew how to teach teamwork, he knew how to develop people,” Tarvin said. “Not only just football players but develop men.”

After missing a chance to send the game into overtime, Eastern Kentucky lost 27-24 and are still searching for their elusive first win.

The Colonels opened the game with an early 11-0 lead, but the Catamounts were able to find the endzone in the first quarter, courtesy of a 45-yard pass touchdown from Cole Gonzales to Censere Lee.

Desmond Reid hurdled into the endzone to give Western Carolina a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter.

Parker McKinney found Jaden Smith who reached over the goal line to even the score.

The Colonels regained the lead with a 20-yard Patrick Nations field goal with less than five minutes in the fourth.

With less than 30 seconds in the game, the Catamounts found the endzone with Gonzales’ third passing touchdown of the night to go up 27-24.

The Colonels were able to march it into field goal range with ease but a missed kick wiped away overtime hope.

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