Balanced attack lifts Wildcats over Beavers
The Blair-Taylor football team was balanced offensively as it took a three-score lead into halftime of a 28-6 road win against Augusta last week.
The Wildcats had nearly 300 yards rushing and 124 more passing as they took control of the game with two touchdowns in the second quarter. Augusta scored in the third, but B-T got those points back early in the fourth.
The win put B-T at 2-3 overall and 2-1 in Dairyland Conference play with perhaps the top team in the DC coming to Blair this week. The Wildcats host the only team in the conference that doesn’t have a loss this season in Pepin/Alma. The Eagles are coming off of a 71-14 win over Independence/Gilmanton.
Next week’s opponent, Cochrane-Fountain City, is the only other team that doesn’t have a conference loss.
B-T 28 Augusta 6
A big play got the scoring started for B-T late in the first quarter before the team tacked on two touchdowns in the second.
B-T quarterback Tavian Shramek hooked up with Ethan Kniseley for two touchdowns in the first half. The first was a 70-yard strike in the first quarter as Shramek connected with Kniseley about 15 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. After securing the catch, Kniseley turned up the sideline and raced untouched for the long score.
The two-point try was stopped, but B-T was in the lead for good.
A second quarter drive looked to be in trouble after Shramek was sacked on a second down play. The team faced a third-and-goal from the 15-yard line, before Shramek and Kniseley connected again. This time, the pass was completed around the goal line before Kniseley ran across for the score.
B-T’s third score came on its next possession, this time Shramek kept the ball himself. On second down from the 10, the Wildcats called an option play and instead of pitching to Jackson Shramek, Tavian Shramek kept the ball around the right side and scored. Jackson Shramek ran in the two-point conversion to make the score 20-0 at halftime.
The Beavers made the game interesting in the third quarter as it connected on a third-and-long pass to set up a short touchdown run with about four minutes left in the frame.
Augusta got the ball back with a chance to cut into the lead, but the B-T defense stopped them deep in their own territory. The ensuing punt landed at the August 42, setting the Wildcats in prime field position.
Jackson Shramek broke free for a 25-yard run to set up a first and goal at the five. Two plays later, Tavian Shramek and Kniseley connected for a third touchdown. Jackson Shramek ran in the two-point conversion to put the Wildcats ahead by 22 with 11:23 left in the game.
B-T was able to milk out much of the rest of the clock with its running game.
Jackson Shramek had a season-high 145 yards on 14 attempts — an average of 10.4 per carry. Tavian Shramek added 90 yards on 15 rushes and Kniseley ran for 63 yards on 10 attempts. Kniseley also caught five passes for 107 yards as Tavian Shramek was seven-for-14 for 124 yards.
B-T —
Rushing (att./yds.) — J. Shramek 14/145 T. Shramek 15/90 Kniseley 10/63
Receiving (rec./yds.) —Kniseley 5/107 Dummer 1/12 Turner 1/7 J. Shramek 1/-2
Passing (comp./att./yds.) — T. Shramek 7/14/124 J. Shramek 0/1/0
Tackles (solo/total) — Line 4/5 Kruse 1/1 Dummer 2/3 T. Shramek 4/5 Trapp 1/1 Kelly 2/3 Turner 5/7 Wagner 2/2 Boe 1/1 J. Shramek 2/3 Kniseley 4/4 Kling 4/5 Paulson 1/6 Taylor 2/3 Nehring 2/4
