Pictured- Ell-Saline seniors (left to right) Julian Roche, Branton Gosvener, Jaxsen Seed, Will Bristow, Luke Walker, Sawyer Cook, Maddox Moore, Hayden Jacobs and Trevor Hunziker.

The Cardinals finished 9-2 last season and had 2 playoff wins before eventually falling to Lincoln 46-44 in the regional round of the 8M-I playoffs.

Joe Roche enters his 7th season as head coach of the Cardinals with an overall record of 41-19. Ell-Saline has went down to 8M-1 the last four seasons and has boasted a 33-7 record while winning six playoff games and making a state semifinal run in 2024 against Wichita County.

The Cardinals will look a little different this year as they graduated 100% of their offensive production in 2025. The Cardinals graduated 10 seniors last year, but they are up for the challenge as they have a few familiar senior faces coming back and a great group of supporting juniors to make a good run in 2026.

Senior Julian Roche will get a chance to move back to quarterback for the Cardinals. Roche spent the last two years on varsity playing offensive guard and collecting 2nd team district honors last season. Roche was the JV team’s quarterback his sophomore season while he played offensive line on varsity.

Junior Colter Christy will anchor the Cardinals’ offensive line from the center position with seniors Maddox Moore and Luke Walker rounding out the offensive line. Walker returns back to Brookville after finishing his sophomore year as a starter before studying abroad his junior year.

Seniors Jaxsen Seed and Branton Gosvener will be in the backfield for the Cardinals as junior Asher Kejr will get into the mix. Gosvener will also line up at Tight End with juniors Lucas Swetson and Asher Kejr getting reps as well.

The receiving corp will be pretty much made up of juniors as JT Moye, Spencer Rains and Ty Tillberg will rotate at that position.

On the defensive side of the ball Colter Christy will again be in the middle at nose guard with Walker and Moore on each side as defensive ends. Senior Trevor Hunziker might see some time on the defensive line.

The linebacking corps will stay the same from a year ago as Roche and Gosvener return for their senior season. Roche received 1st team district honors last year while Gosvener finished as a honorable mention and only played the second half of the season due to injury. Jaxon Seed will also play linebacker for the Cardinals but will also play in the secondary if needed.

In the secondary JT Moye, Spencer Rains, Ty Tillberg and Samuel Lewis will look to lockdown the opposing receivers.

The Ell-Saline Cardinals have a new look and are ready to play but their schedule does present some challenges. They should be battle tested come playoff time after facing a schedule which includes Little River (9-2) and Hanover (13-0). Followed by a tough district schedule that includes Wakeeney-Trego (10-1) and Lincoln (11-2). Ell-Saline’s only two losses in 2025 came against Hanover and Lincoln. Hanover went on to win the 8M-II State Championship and went a perfect 13-0. Lincoln fell to South Central in the 8M-1 State Championship game to finish runner up.

Even with the new faces and a tough schedule, the expectations are still the same for the Cardinals, make a deep run and win a state championship in November.

Ell-Saline opens the season this Friday, September 4th as they host the Little River Redskins in Brookville.

Ell-Saline Cardinals 2026 Schedule

9/4  vs. Little River

9/11  at Central Plains

9/18 at Hanover

9/25 at Wakeeney-Trego

10/2 vs Hoxie

10/9 vs Bennington

10/16 at Mankato-Rock Hills

10/23 vs Lincoln