Picture courtesy of Jenna Hull

According to the coaches poll both teams would enter Friday nights season opening matchup ranked #3 in their respective classes. The Ell-Saline Cardinals ranked #3 in 8-Man DI while the Hanover Wildcats ranked the same in 8-Man DII. Both teams returned quite a bit of production from successful 8-2 seasons a year ago, Hanover would prove to be just too physical up front as they would pull away with a 32-8 victory to start the season. This is Hanover’s second straight win over the Cardinals after the Wildcats lost they first two matchups in 2022 and 2023.

Ell-Saline would get things going first as they would score on their first offensive possession. Senior quarterback Reese Krone would find fellow senior tight end Trey Williams for 36 yards down to the 1 yard line on the Cardinals first offensive snap of the season. A couple plays later senior running back Kas Kramer would punch it in and Ell Saline would lead 8-0.

With 5:11 left in the 1st quarter Hanover would get their answer as quarterback Kadrick Cohurst would find wide receiver Braylon Meyn on a screen pass and and Meyn do the rest as he would run it in from 44-yards out.

Hanover and Cohurst would add two more touchdowns through the air in the 2nd quarter. Cohorst would find Jack Bruna for the first one before finding Braylon Meyn for his second receiving touchdown on the the night. Hanover would lead 24-8 heading into the locker room.

The only scoring in the 2nd half came with 2:16 left in the ballgame as that time Cohurst would use his legs from the 1 yard line and gave the Wildcats a 32-8 lead.

Ell-Saline and their offense would continue to struggle to find footing in the second half as they would finish the night with just a little over 100 yards of total offense. Reese Krone was 8-15 through the air for 74 yards, which 65 of the yards belonged to Trey Williams. Kas Kramer would add 29 yards on the ground for the Cardinals.

Hanover’s Kadrick Cohurst would finish the night 7-11 with 102 yards, 3 TD’s and also threw 2 interceptions. Cohurst would also lead the Wildcats in rushing as he would add 37 yards on the ground. Braylon Meyn lead the receiving corp. with 4 catches for 91 and two scores.

Ell-Saline will back on the road next Friday as they travel to Osborne to take on the Bulldogs who beat defending state champions Hoxie in a shootout Friday night. Hanover will make their first road trip of the season as they travel to Clyde to take on the Eagles of Clifton-Clyde.

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