For the most part, the Sacred Heart offense played well Friday night, but it was the Knight defense that powered Sacred Heart to victory in the opening round of the 2018 play-offs.  Knight defenders kept the Ellis Railroaders on their side of the field for most of the game allowing only one Ellis touchdown late in the third quarter when the game was all but decided.  The lone Railroader score came on a 35 yard run by Senior running back Cade Lewis.

Meanwhile, the Sacred Heart offense featured a balanced attack that saw the Knight Sophomore QB Mac Hemmer throw three touchdown passes and the ground game tally a pair of TDs.

After each team started the game with three and outs, Sacred Heart put together a 60 yard scoring drive that ended with Junior Kaiden Carter hitting pay dirt from three yards out with 3:46 remaining in the opening quarter.

On the very next drive the Knights scored again.  This time it was a 10 yard touchdown pass, Hemmer to Senior receiver Charlie Skidmore.  The score at the end of the first quarter was Knights up 14-0.

The game was still somewhat in doubt for most of the second quarter until Hemmer found Senior Trace Leners for two touchdown passes—the first covering 62 yards at the 2:03 mark of quarter number 2 and the second a 16 yard play with just 16 seconds left in the first half—a half that ended with the Knights ahead 27-0.

Play in the third quarter was very sloppy by both squads with multiple turnovers committed by each team.  It was in the third that the Railroaders got their only score.

However, if Ellis thought they had any chance, those hopes were quickly dashed early in the fourth quarter when Senior tailback Paco Garcia scored on a 4-yard run with 10:55 left in the game.

Sacred Heart improved to 4-5 on the year.  Ellis ended their season at 3-6.

Next up for the Knights, a return trip to Smith Center who shut out Oakley on Friday 35-zip.  Just three weeks ago the Redmen dismantled Sacred Heart 55-0.  However, since then the Knights lost to Ell-Saline by 5 points before Ell-Saline fell to the Redmen by 6  with Smith Center scoring in the final :30 of the game.

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