The weather would play a huge factor in the outcome in the 8M-1 regional playoff football game between the Ell-Saline Cardinals (8-1) and the Madison Bulldogs (6-3) in Brookville Friday night. It would rain the entire game and traction was very limited. Ell-Saline would come into the matchup the higher seed but it was the Madison Bulldogs using a couple of big plays to win a close one 14-12 to advance to the sectional round of the playoffs.

Madison would start the first offensive possession from their own 1-yard line after a beautiful kickoff from junior Lucas Correa, The Bulldogs would take the first snap and quarterback Colton Isch would run it 74-yards before being tackled at the Ell-Saline 5-yard line. Two plays later Isch would get the Bulldogs on the board as he would punch it in from the 3-yard line to put Madison up 6-0.

Then with 1:23 left to go in the 1st quarter Ell-Saline was able to get their answer as quarterback Reese Krone would find running back Melvin Lutes on a screen pass and he would run it in from 11-yards out and it was all knotted up at 6 a piece.

It was back and forth for most of the 2nd quarter as the rain started to fall harder and made traction even tougher. Then on the last play of the half Bulldogs Colton Isch found tight end Octavian Dean for a 12-yard pitch and catch. Madison would make the 2-point conversion and the Bulldogs took a 14-6 lead into the locker room.

There was only one touchdown in the 2nd half and it came after Ell-Saline was gifted a short field after a blocked punt. Running back Kas Kramer would scamper in from the 4-yard line to bring the Cardinals within 2. On the 2-point conversion Kramer would line up in Wildcat but failed to convert the 2-point try and the Cardinals trailed 14-12.

Ell-Saline would get the ball back one more time but the weather and traction was just too much as the Cardinals would turn the ball back over on downs and the Bulldogs were able to kneel out the final seconds and Madison would shock the Cardinals 14-12.

With the loss Ell-Saline finishes the season with a 8-2 record and says goodbye to seniors Melvin Lutes, Victor Ruiz-Torres, Tayton Williams and Jacob Tillberg. Madison moves to 7-3 on the season and will advance to the sectional round of the 8M-1 playoffs next week to take on Clifton-Clyde in Madison.

Player of the Game: Kas Kramer

H&R Block of the Game: Tayton Williams

Box Score

Madison (7-3) – 6 – 8 – 0 – 0 / 14

Ell-Saline (8-2) – 6 – 0 – 0 – 6 / 12