The El Dorado Middle School football teams lost their openers to Andover Central at Galen Blackmore Stadium Thursday.

The 7th-grade Cats scored a late touchdown but lost to Central, 24-8, while the 8th-graders gave up a late touchdown and lost a 7-6 heart-breaker to the visiting Jaguars.

The El Dorado 7th-graders played tough early against Central, but the Jags started to wear down the Cats in the second half. El Dorado got on the board on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Travis House to Jared Haury with 2:48 remaining. House ran in the two-point conversion.

“We didn’t play too badly,” said coach Adam Olson. “Our passing game actually did quite well, and our kids worked hard and never gave up. The crowd was very supportive.”

The Cat 8th-graders were involved in a defensive struggle against Central. El Dorado scored first in the second quarter on a 26-yard run by tailback Fred Winsor. The score was set up by an interception by Trevor Crain.

A fourth-quarter interception by Bryce Morgan looked like it might preserve the win, but a bad punt snap on the next possession set Central up at the Cats’ 3-yard line, and they scored on third down from the 1 with just 1:05 left. The extra-point kick proved to be the winning point.

“I thought we were very physical on defense,” said coach Dustin Dooley. “We still have some work to do on offense, but I like the direction we’re headed. We just have to keep working hard in practice and get ready for league play.”