The annual Monroe County football showdown between rivals Waterloo and Columbia proved to be as entertaining as advertised Friday night at Waterloo High School.

Both squads capitalized on special teams mistakes and turnovers — the Bulldogs early, the Eagles late — but it was Columbia who came out on top in the end, 19-13.

With the win, the Eagles (2-0) snapped a four-game losing streak to its Route 3 neighbor.

After an interception of Columbia quarterback Jacob Hill by Waterloo’s Alex Schultheis early in the first quarter gave the Bulldogs the ball deep in Eagles territory, Waterloo quarterback Zach Schaab scored on a 1-yard run to give his team the 7-0 lead.

An inadvertent kneeldown by Columbia’s punter gave the ‘Dogs the ball deep in Eagles territory again in the first, but all Waterloo could muster this time was a Ryan Aycock field goal for a 10-0 lead.

Then it was Columbia with a special teams momentum shifter, blocking a Waterloo punt with 6:31 left in the second quarter to put them in good field position. Eagles running back Camren Shewfelt muscled forward for a 10-yard run, and later scored on a 1-yard run to put his team on the board at 10-7 in the second quarter.

On Waterloo’s ensuing possession, Columbia’s Zach Mathews picked off a Schaab pass to place his team in a great spot again. Bolstered by a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty against the ‘Dogs, the Eagles scored another TD to lead 13-10 at the half.

Columbia was the benefactor of another Waterloo special teams miscue in the second half, recovering a fumbled punt return to put themselves in excellent scoring position again. The Eagles capitalized, scoring on another Shewfelt run to lead 19-10.

The Bulldogs (1-1) battled back late, notching another Aycock field goal, but could not muster a late rally.

“I told the guys coming into this game that we can’t give a team like Columbia a short field,” Bulldogs head coach Dan Rose said after the game.

Columbia head coach Scott Horner praised his players for battling through the physically draining contest.

“This is why we practice so hard during the summer months,” Horner told his players after the game. “Because of those practices and the conditioning we do before the season, you guys had enough left in the tank to hold on and win this thing.”

In other area football action…

Dupo (0-2) fell to Breese Central, 22-6, and Red Bud (2-0) stomped Wesclin, 45-16, both on the road.

(With additional reporting from Greg Stanek)