It was the regional round of the Class 8-man DI football playoffs on Friday and the Ell-Saline Cardinals would play host to the Meade Buffaloes in Brookville. Both teams would come into the matchup with an 8-1 record after winning their opening round matchups last week. The Cardinals proved they were just too much to handle as they would storm to a 68-20 victory.
Picture Courtesy of Traci Dent
Ell-Saline would strike first with 4:58 left to go in the 1st quarter as quarterback Marshall Johnson would find running back Joe Hiechel with a 43-yard pass and the Cardinals would lead 8-0.
Just a few minutes later the Cardinals would find paydirt again as Ryder Dent would run in untouched from 33-yards out and Ell-Saline would lead 16-0 after one quarter of play.
Picture Courtesy of Jenna Hull
The Cardinals and Ryder Dent would continue their scoring in the second quarter as he would punch it in from 3 yards out and the Cardinals led 22-0.
On the ensuing Buffaloes drive Meade quarterback Cade Cronister would drop back to pass and was picked off by Ell-Saline defensive back Kas Kramer and he would return it for a Cardinals touchdown.
Picture Courtesy of Jenna Hull
Meade would finally get on the board with 6:57 to go in the half as Cronister would plunge it in from 1 yard out.
After a Cardinal fumble the Buffaloes would take the turnover and score again on a 8-yard scamper by running back Brock Keith.
With :38 seconds left to go in the half Buffaloes Cronister was called for intentional grounding in the endzone which resulted in a safety.
Picture Courtesy of Jenna Hull
Then after the free kick the Cardinals Johnson would find Kas Kramer with a 41-yard strike that Kramer had to fully extend and dive to make the highlight reel catch. Ell-Saline would lead 40-14 at the break.
Ell-Saline would get the 2nd half kickoff and march right down the field and the drive was capped off with Johnson’s third passing touchdown of the ballgame as he found tight end Reese Krone with a 32-yard catch and run that put the Cardinals back up 48-14.
Picture Courtesy of Jenna Hull
Ryder Dent would find the endzone one more time on the evening as he would carry defenders over the goal line as he ran in for his 3rd rushing touchdown of the game and 22nd on the season.
Meade would add another touchdown in the 3rd quarter as backup quarterback Samuel Lynn would find Brock Keith on a 54-yard touchdown pass but the Buffaloes still trailed the Cardinals 54-20.
The Cardinals would score one more touchdown in the 3rd quarter as Marshall Johnson would get his 4th passing touchdown of the game. This time he would find tight end Trey Williams with a 46-yard dart and Williams would score his first touchdown of the season.
Picture Courtesy of Jenna Hull
Ell-Saline would score one final time on the ball game as Johnson would score on 1-yard QB sneak and win in walk off fashion by a score of 68-20.
With the win Ell-Saline moves to 9-1 on the season and will play Hoxie in Brookville next Friday in the sectional round of the 8-Man DI playoffs.
Meade would finish the season with an 8-2 record with the loss.
Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game: Kas Kramer (4 catches, 109 Receiving Yards – 1 TD, 3 Int’s including a pick 6) and Marshall Johnson (254 Passing Yards – 4 Passing TD’s, 1 Rushing TD)
H&R Block of the Game: Reese Krone
Box Score
Meade – 0 – 14 – 6 – 0 / 20
Ell-Saline – 16 – 24 – 22 – 6 / 68
