If you look at the Ell-Saline depth chart, you’ll see that freshman Reese Krone is the third string tight end.  However, if you looked out on the field Friday night you would see Krone in the game at quarterback.  The Cardinals were rocked by injuries at home (at one point down five starters) in their fourth game of the season, but due to a big lead they had built were able to hold on against Bennington.

Senior Cardinal QB Kade Wilson opened the scoring with a 43 yard scramble for a touchdown with 7:28 left in the first quarter.  On the ensuing possession by the Bulldogs, junior Joe Heichel had a pick-6 and at the end of the first stanza the Cardinals led 14-0.

The defenses dominated the 2nd quarter, but Wilson did have a three yard run for his second TD of the game with 7:54 to go before half.  At the break Ell-Saline was up 22-0.

The Cardinals started the second half with four starters out due to injuries, but back-up quarterback junior Marshall Johnson put together a nice drive that ended with Johnson calling his own number for a one yard TD run.  Bennington finally got on the board with 2:33 to go in the third quarter with a one yard run and the quarter ended with Ell-Saline up 28-6.

Cardinal sophomore Melvin Lutes opened the scoring in the 4^th quarter with 11:48 to go in the game when he ran it in from 27 yards out.  The Bulldogs would dominate the rest of the final quarter, but it was too little too late.  Bennington did get a 15-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Kian Wilson to junior wide receiver Talon Pickering and followed that up with a 7-yard TD rush by senior Easton Pickering  to pull within 14 points.  After a successful on side kick by Bennington, the Bulldogs were driving, but the game pretty much ended when Wilson was intercepted.

With the victory, Ell-Saline improved to 3-1 on the season.  Meanwhile Bennington is still looking for their first win of the 2022 season as the Bulldogs fell to 0-4.

Next up for the Cardinals—Homecoming against Rock Hills.  Meanwhile Bennington will also be at home against Washington County.

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