Wildcats can’t stop Cardinals in DC loss

For the second time in three weeks, the Blair-Taylor football team surrendered more than 50 points, falling to Eleva-Strum 59-34 on Friday.

It also marked the third straight loss for B-T, evening the team’s record at 3-3. The only time B-T didn’t allow 50 points in that stretch was a 40-0 loss to Cochrane-Fountain City in which the second half of the game was not played due to weather. The Wildcats moved the ball and had a 22-14 lead early in the second quarter, but the Cardinals scored 24 straight to take control of the game. 

The three losses have come against teams that are at the top of the Dairyland Conference. E-S is now tied with C-FC at 4-0, while Pepin/Alma is 3-1, coming off of a 15-14 loss to C-FC. 

The Wildcats will now need to win two of their final three games to clinch a spot in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs. That begins with its homecoming game against Independence/Gilmanton this week. The Indees are 1-4 on the season, coming off of an 8-6 win over Augusta. 

Next week, B-T will play at Melrose-Mindoro.

E-S 59 B-T 34

The Wildcats were able to move the ball on the ground and through the air, but the Cardinals couldn’t be stopped. 

B-T scored three times in the first quarter and held a 22-14 lead until Luis Kinser got around the outside for a 22-yard touchdown run. The ensuing two-point conversion tied the game.

After an empty B-T possession, the Cardinals took the lead on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Reede Brown to Elliot Walsh. 

The Cardinals scored two more touchdowns to take a 38-22 lead until B-T got back on the board midway through the second quarter. But E-S responded when Kinser returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. 

E-S went on to score two more touchdowns in the second half to come away with the lopsided win. 

Senior running back Collin Johnson had a big game for B-T with 224 total yards. He rushed 17 times for 127 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 97 yards and another touchdown. 

B-T’s Kole Trapp tossed four touchdown passes, completing 8-of-17 passes for 240 yards and an interception. CJ Dummer caught four of those passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns. 

Blair-Taylor

Rushing (att./yds.) — Johnson 17/127 Trapp 6/3

Receiving (rec./yds.) — Dummer 4/134 Johnson 2/97 Kelly 1/9 Kruse 1/0

Passing (comp./att./yds.) — Trapp 8/17/240