On third down and 10 with the Federal Way Eagles trailing the Auburn Riverside Ravens by four points and less than two minutes left to play, Federal Way quarterback Gabe Togia’s pass to receiver Jaeger Steckler was an authentic representation of the team’s week of football.

Short.

The incomplete pass ended the Eagles’ comeback attempt, and it allowed Auburn Riverside to get out of town with the 24-20 win.

It was a tough week for Federal Way (4-4, 2-4) football, and its stretch of two games in five days took its toll in its loss to Auburn Riverside (5-3, 4-2). The Eagles allowed six self-inflicted turnovers, with five coming in the second half.

After the third down incompletion from Togia, the senior quarterback bent at the waist and let out a sigh of frustration, acknowledging the throw as a sign that all but guaranteed an Auburn Riverside win.

“Too many mistakes in the second half,” Togia said. “But we have to put this one behind us and get focused for Thursday.”

Federal Way coach John Meagher had even fewer words when evaluating the Eagles’ performance.

“We lost because we turned the ball over,” Meagher said.

The Eagles got off to a shaky start, which set the tone for the rest of the game.

After taking the opening kickoff, the Ravens needed just seven plays to go 80 yards for the opening score. Junior running back Sam Braboy took an option pitch from quarterback Tiano Malietufa 47 yards for the score, giving the Ravens the 7-0 edge.

The opening drive from Auburn Riverside lit a fire under the Eagles, though, and specifically under Alphonzo Tuputala. Tuputala and Federal Way answered with back-to-back scores, seizing the 14-7 lead after the first quarter.

The first came on a 4-yard touchdown play action pass from Togia to Tuputala.

Tuputala finished off the Eagles’ next drive with a goal line touchdown run after running back Solomon Bang put the ball on the 1-yard line following a 37-yard run.

But Auburn Riverside answered after Togia under-threw a pass to Kyreice Miller, which was picked off by Ravens safety Alex Caldwell. With the ball back in his hands, Malietufa attempted to score from the 14-yard line on a quarterback keeper run, but he fumbled the ball at the 2-yard line. Braboy was right behind him though to scoop up the ball and jog into the end zone for the score, putting the game at a 14-14 halftime deadlock.

The two sides played a scoreless third quarter, despite a Togia turnover on a sack fumble leading to an Eagles punt.

“We had the yards tonight,” Meagher said. “We just caused our own problems.”

Federal Way had its best defensive moment of the night with 8 minutes, 24 seconds left in the game when it held Auburn Riverside to three points after the Ravens had first and goal on the Eagles 2-yard line. The field goal gave the Ravens the 17-14 lead.

On the ensuing possession, the Eagles put a promising drive together, but it resulted in the under-thrown ball on third down to Steckler.

The frustration allowed the Ravens to capitalize.

Malietufa connected with Cade Stober for a 35-yard pass to give Auburn Riverside first and goal at the Federal Way goal line, and Isaiah Prescott finished the drive with the touchdown run for the 24-14 lead with 3:58 left to play.

Togia had his shining moment on senior night with under a minute to play. He led the Eagles down the field on a six-play, 66-yard drive, culminating with a perfectly thrown 11-yard touchdown pass to the right back corner of the end zone to Steckler with 38 seconds left in the game.

“It wasn’t enough, but we didn’t want to go out like that,” Togia said of the seniors in their final home game. “Receivers did a good job spreading the field tonight. Just wasn’t enough.”

The loss makes Federal Way’s game on Thursday against Jefferson that much more important for the playoff picture.

Meagher refused to acknowledge the importance of the game, but he said turnovers in the red zone can’t happen in the game against the Raiders because, for the third time in two weeks, the Eagles have another short week to determine if it’s postseason bound or not.

“Scored in the red zone in the first half,” Meagher said. “We didn’t in the second half, we fumbled. Got to win Thursday to keep playoff hopes alive.”