They aren't dead yet.

Federal Way needed a win against Kentwood Thursday to stay alive in the South Puget Sound League North Division, and the Eagles got it in a harrowing 24-21 win over the Conquerors.

Now coach John Meagher and his Federal Way contingent has its eye on finishing in the SPSL North No. 2 position. They need some help to do that, as Kentridge needs to be knocked out of second place in the standings.

"We've now become big fans of whoever Kentridge is playing," said Eagles assistant coach Sam Beesley. "If we win out we win by tiebreaker vs. Kentwood."

The Eagles ran their SPSL North record to 4-2 to tie Kentwood in the standings and improved to 5-3 overall. Kentwood fell to 4-2, 5-2.

Senior running back Trenton Pinson and junior quarterback Nick Tanielu powered the offense for the Eagles in Thursday's game.

"Trenton really has grown as a tailback," said Federal Way head coach John Meagher. "It's great to have both of them. Trenton and Nick can beat you in a couple of ways. We can throw the football and run it."

It took a little while for the offense to get going, as Kentwood scored first with 6:35 left in the first quarter. Jared Fuller ran for a 34-yard touchdown and Matt Bell booted the extra point for a 7-0 Conquerors advantage.

The Eagles brought out another big weapon besides Pinson and Tanielu to score their first points -- senior kicker Kelyn Rowe.

At the end of a 12-play drive from its own 33-yard line to the Kentwood 9-yard line, Meagher called Rowe out to attempt a 26-yard field goal. Rowe slipped it through to cut the Kentwood lead to 7-3 with 2:36 to go in the first quarter.

The Eagles took the lead with 6:38 to go in the second quarter, when Pinson ran left and scored from the 8-yard line at the end of a 53-yard drive that started at the same time as the quarter.

Rowe's PAT kick was on target and the lead was stretched to 10-7.

The big Federal Way break came on the ensuing kickoff, as Jaren Sio pounced on a fumble at the Kentwood 13.

Pinson scored on the next play on a run that was fumbled and recovered for a touchdown with 6:25 to go before halftime.

Rowe was true on his next PAT kick for a 17-7 advantage.

Federal Way went on to dominate the rest of the quarter, marching 86 on nine plays to score on a Tanielu 1-yard quarterback keeper with only 21.3 seconds left. Rowe's extra point upped the advantage to 24-7.

Kentwood scored again with 9:05 remaining in the third quarter, when Matt Hubbard popped out of a crowd and ran it in from the 39-yard line. Bell's kick closed the score to 24-14.

Rowe had a chance at a 39-yard field goal on the Eagles' next drive, but it was partially blocked and went under the uprights.

The tenacious Conquerors took over and 11 plays later had Mikell Everette catch a 26-yard screen pass for a touchdown with 41.8 seconds to go in the third quarter. Bell's kick made it 24-21.

But that was where the score stayed, thanks to the Federal Way defense that stymied all that Kentwood could bring.

"We're coming together as a team," Meagher said. "More important, they really like each other."

Pinson was appreciative of the Eagles' new life.

"We are Eagles football, and we're still here," he said.