Picture courtesy of Colten Southern

For the first time since week one, the Ell-Saline Cardinals were back in the friendly confines of Brookville as they welcomed the Hoxie Indians to town for a non-district matchup. Coming off their first win of the season a week ago over Trego, Ell-Saline came into the ballgame with a 1-3 record, Hoxie riding a 3-1 record into the matchup. Ell-Saline used a big 4th quarter from senior quarterback Julian Roche to pull out a defensive battle 22-12.

It took almost two and half quarters for either team to get on the board as it was a defense and field position battle for most of the first half.

Hoxie got on the board first with 7:49 left to go in the 3rd quarter. Junior running back Noah Nickelson scampered in from 20 yards out and the Indians led 6-0.

Ell-Saline continued to struggle offensively for the next couple possessions but finally found the end zone with 7:44 left in the game. Julian Roche scored his first rushing touchdown of the season to tie the game at 6-6. After a successful two-point conversion the Cardinals took an 8-6 lead.

After the Cardinals touchdown, the Indians took one play to give it right back to Ell-Saline. Hoxie sophomore quarterback Gage Epp fumbled the snap and Julian Roche was able to recover the ball at the Indian 15 yard line. Three plays later Roche scored his second rushing touchdown of the night, this time from 8 yards out as he lowered his shoulder and laid a big hit on the goal line. Ell-Saline failed on the two-point conversion but still held a 14-6 lead.

But Hoxie was not going to go away easy. They marched down the field and scored a 12-yard touchdown run by senior running back Chase Meyer. The Indians could not get the two-point conversion and the Cardinals led 14-12.

The Cardinals went 3-and-out on the next possession and had to give the ball right back to the Indians with just over three minutes left on the clock. Ell-Saline’s defense came up with a big turnover on downs and got the ball back at the Hoxie 14-yard line. It took four plays for Julian Roche to get his hat trick as he found the endzone on a 4-yard touchdown plunge. The Cardinals converted the two-point conversion and held a 22-12 lead with 1:14 left in the game.

Ell-Saline denied the Indians offense one more time as they forced another turnover on downs and Julian Roche was able to kneel out the final seconds as they pulled out the 22-12 win.

With the win, Ell-Saline moves to 2-3 on the season and will be back in Brookville for Homecoming next Friday with a district matchup against the Bennington Bulldogs. Hoxie drops to 3-2 on the season and will be at home next Friday against Decatur Community.

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