Niceville, FL — NICEVILLE — Following the postgame handshake Friday night at Eagle Stadium, Grant Thompson stopped short of entering the team huddle after a 28-21 season-ending loss to Bartram Trail, a team that shook off the booming Eagle Pride band and the boisterous student section to mount an 80-yard, game-winning drive in the waning seconds of the Region 1-4S semifinal. The young head coach needed a second to collect his thoughts. Rightfully so, the Eagles (9-3) were so full of hope to begin the year only to face adversity around every turn. Like every head coach outside of the Gatorade-soaked champion in all of 4S, the Niceville coach searched for the words to sum up the heartbreak. All his players could do was wait on bended knee, none of them ready to call 2023 quits, none ready to face the too-early offseason. Finally ready, Thompson said the obvious: "Tough way to end," his gaze jumping from senior to senior. There was Maddax Fayard, who'd delivered two scores on the night to push his season total to a team-leading 15 touchdowns. There was Colin Sorensen, a three-year starter and one of the area's top offensive lineman. There were running backs DJ Shorts and DJ Robinson, the former injured nearly the entire season and the latter eclipsing 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns. Neither was able to break loose Friday night as Niceville's backfield was outgained by Bartram Trail 344 to 106. There were defensive playmakers De'mon Allen, Kevin Downing and Tristen Anthony, all sure to continue their playing years collegiately. Tear-soaked cheeks and hanging heads wasn't the anticipated scene after Niceville shrugged off a sluggish first half to fight back from not one, not two, but three deficits, with Fayard's 32-yard touchdown from Kane Lafortune tying things up at 21 with 5:15 left to play. All year Niceville had overcome the obstacles. Losing their starting running back, Shorts, in Week 1. Losing their quarterback, Nino Freeman, Week 2. Losing the district title at Mosley only to get a No. 2 region seed and home-field advantage in the Sweet 16. The Eagles should've trailed by more than 14-7 at halftime, something like 24-0, but Uriah West's forced fumble inside the 10, Caleb Hickey's blocked punt for a West touchdown and a missed chip-shot field goal from Bartram Trail gave the Eagles life. Only, Bartram Trail wouldn't be taken off the field on third down. Backed up by the Eagle Pride end zone on the final drive, the Bears converted three third downs, none more heartbreaking than a needless pass interference with three minutes to play. On a night when the Bears went 11 for 18 on third down, quarterback Riley Trujillo ran 42 yards to the house for his fourth score and the eventual game-winner. On the ensuing drive, Lafortune fumbled and the Bears recovered. "I'm proud of the guys," Thompson said. "We fought to the end like we always do here. I don't know if we've lost by more than a touchdown here in five years. It's been a hard year. I think we're going to look back and be proud of this season."