In Greek and Egyptian mythology, a Phoenix, also often referred to as a Firebird, represents hope and the emergence of good during difficult times.
In Eastmark’s case, this Firebird was a football.
One that soared through the wind of the air and into the hands of 2026 wide receiver Maximo Camo on a 69-yard touchdown connection with 2028 quarterback Dayne Silver late in the second quarter, igniting a fire inside the Firebirds that would account for six of the first 13 unanswered points Eastmark would score in a 16-13 win over Walden Grove on Thursday night.
The offense provided spark, yet Silver said it was the defense that ignited the flame.
“They’re the ones that won the game,” Silver said. “Realistically, they’re the ones that won the game. I mean, they went out there, battled, they gave me plenty of opportunities, and you know, I didn’t make the best with some of the opportunities, you know? Threw those two picks, but I mean, just kind of look at film, assess what I’m doing, and get better.”
Despite throwing two interceptions, one of which was a 45-yard pick-6 that contributed to Walden Grove’s 13 points in the game, Eastmark head coach Jason Lyons still believes there is more potential for big-play abilities based on what he’s seen from Silver in early in the season, who is still regaining confidence after coming off a shoulder injury that forced him to be sidelined for just about the entirety of the 2024 season.
“It just shows you the potential that young man has and also the explosiveness we have in other places,” Lyons said. “We just have to find a way to make it our routine instead of our exception. And right now, we’re still growing.
“I love the fact that he’s a goldfish because he makes a mistake like that, and he said, ‘Coach, I’m gonna fix it next time.’ And he’s right. He’s super coachable. I got no qualms with him. We’ll fix it. We gotta get him reading better. That’s on us, and we’ll get there.”
Box Score
NOTE: View any scoring highlight by clicking on the corresponding bullet point.
First Quarter
- 2027 K Isaiah Helmkamp (Eastmark) 47-yard FG is good. (3-0, 2:29)
Second Quarter
- 2028 QB Dayne Silver (Eastmark) throws an INT to 2027 LB Angel Armenta (Walden Grove), who returned for a 45-yard touchdown. Extra point is no good. (3-6, 10:10)
- 2027 RB Dominic Sanchez (Walden Grove) rushed for a 4-yard touchdown. Extra point is good. (3-13, 2:22)
- 2028 QB Dayne Silver (Eastmark) pass complete to 2026 WR Maximo Cano (Eastmark) for a 69-yard touchdown. Extra point is no good. (9-13, 1:44)
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
- N/A
| TEAM | 1ST QTR | 2ND QTR | 3RD QTR | 4TH QTR | FINAL |
| Eastmark | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
| Walden Grove | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
The Standouts
2026 Eastmark LB Bryson Brown
Brown is not the player the average football viewer would see at the Linebacker position. But he doesn’t let his size or what’s commonly known about the linebacker position stop him from being an exceptionally talented athlete. After totaling 19 tackles in week one against Crimson, Brown was flying all over the field in Eastmark’s win against Walden Grove. It seemed like anytime Eastmark needed a big play on defense, he was right there disrupting everything.
2026 Eastmark ATH Kyson Lunt
Lunt was making plays on both sides of the ball for Eastmark. In the third quarter, Silver found Lunt in the middle of the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Firebirds a 16-13 lead. Then, late in the fourth, Lunt was at the right place, at the right time, to snag an interception with around two minutes left in the game, which proved crucial in Eastmark’s offense being able to burn more clock and win the game.
2026 Walden Grove LB Angel Armenta
Along with racking up multiple tackles, Armenta was the first to change the scoreboard after jumping a screen pass from Silver and taking it 45 yards to the house.
2027 Walden Grove ATH Dominic Sanchez
It’s not often players of Sanchez’s size dominate on both sides of the ball. Including a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, Sanchez was in the perfect position to give the Red Wolves’ offense a chance late in the fourth quarter to take the lead after poking a Silver pass in the air on the half-yard line and coming down with an interception. Sanchez showed off some exceptional awareness.
Key Plays
- Both teams heavily relied on the run during the majority of the game, but it was Eastmark 2026 running back Brent Glover who ripped off a 60-yard run that would put the Firebirds in scoring position and lead Eastmark to score its first touchdown of the game.
Sound Off
Eastmark head coach Jason Lyons on 2026 linebacker Bryson Brown: “That kid’s a cowboy. Let me tell you. He told me one day, ‘Coach, I’m not gonna be able to come to Saturday practice.’ I said, ‘Why Bryson?’ He said, ‘A neighbor gave me 20 bucks to go break a wild horse,’ and he broke the horse. So, I mean, you know what? He’s that kind of kid, and when he plays out here, he looks like that kind of kid.”
Eastmark head coach Jason Lyons on his offensive line: “I cannot rave enough about my (offensive) line. That (defensive) line (Walden Grove) got is a 6A freaking line regular across. And our guys just did good stuff all night. I mean, shoot, I don’t know what we ran for, but we were pushing piles. It was fun.”
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