After a competitive first half, the Ell-Saline Cardinals scored 22 unanswered points after intermission to defeat the Sacred Heart Knights 35 to 14.

Junior Cardinal QB Kade Wilson opened the scoring with 2:49 to go in quarter number one when he raced 17 yards to pay dirt.  The PAT was no good and Ell-Saline led at the end of the opening stanza, 6-0.

On their first play from scrimmage in the second quarter, Wilson found senior Garrett Phelps on a 30 yard touchdown strike and Ell-Saline went up 13-0.

The rest of the second period belonged to the Knights.  Sacred Heart got on the board with 6:36 to go until half on a 10 yard run by sophomore quarterback Evan Bogart.  Then, on the biggest play of the night, Bogart launched a bomb to sophomore wide receiver Michael Matteucci on a play that covered 81 yards with just :27 to go until the break. Following a 2-point conversion run by Bogart, Sacred Heart would take a one point lead into the locker room, 14-13.

In the second half, it was all Ell-Saline.

The Cardinals would regain the lead at the 7:21 mark of the third quarter on a 23 yard run by sophomore Joe Heichel putting Ell-Saline back on top 20-14.

The Cardinals would add touchdown runs of 53 yards by junior Obed Ruiz and 3 yards by Wilson in the final quarter to seal the win.

Next up for Ell-Saline, now 1-1 on the season, a long trip to Oakley to take on a Plainsmen team that is 0-2 in 2021.  Meanwhile, the Knights will look for their first win of the young season when they travel to Inman.