The #7 Ell-Saline Cardinals was back in action Friday night as they would host the #10 Clifton-Clyde Eagles in Brookville. It was a back and forth affair for most of the game but it was Ell-Saline who would pull away in the 4th quarter and roll to a 5th straight win. 

It was Clifton-Clyde who would strike first on the matchup as they would find the end zone on a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Payton Fahey and the Eagles would lead 6-0.

Picture courtesy of Jenna Hull

Ell-Saline would answer with a nice drive of their own that was capped off with 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Marshall Johnson to tight end Reese Krone. 

The Eagles quarterback Trent Long and the Cardinals running back Ryder Dent would trade a pair of rushing touchdowns in the 2nd quarter and the game was all knotted up at 20 a piece going into the locker room. 

Clifton-Clyde would break the tie in the 3rd quarter as Trent Long would score his 3rd rushing touchdown on the game as he would scamper in from the 7 yard line. 

Picture courtesy of Jenna Hull

The Cardinals would answer right back as Marshall Johnson would find Reese Krone for their second connection on the night from 17 yards out and Ell-Saline would lead 28-26 after 3 quarters of play. 

Ell-Saline was the only team to score in the 4th quarter as it was running back Joe Hiechel that would get in on the action with 2 rushing touchdowns. Hiechel would score from 5 yards out with 6 minutes left to go, and then again with 1:18 left on a beautiful 37-yard run. With the pair of touchdowns in the final stanza Ell-Saline would cruise to a 40-26 victory over Clifton-Clyde. 

Picture courtesy of Jenna Hull

With the win #7 Ell-Saline moves to 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in Class 8-man DI District 5 play and will travel to Washington in week 7 to take on Washington County. 

#10 Clifton-Clyde would fall to 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in Class 8-man DI District 5 play and will host Rock Hills next Friday in district play.

Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game: Marshall Johnson

H&R Block of the Game: Kas Kramer

Box Score

Clifton-Clyde – 6 – 14 – 6 – 0 / 26

Ell-Saline – 6 – 14 – 8 – 12 / 40

Picture courtesy of Jenna Hull