Early turnovers doom Wildcats in loss to Wolves

The Blair-Taylor football team had chances to make the game a shootout, but a couple of early turnovers put them in a hole they could not climb out of.

Both of B-T’s first two drives went into Elmwood/Plum City territory, but both ended with turnovers as the Wolves took a 14-0 lead. While B-T moved the ball well in the game, they could not stop E/PC as the Wolves scored 36 points in the first half and went on to win, 52-20.

The loss dropped B-T to 0-2 on the season as it begins Dairyland Conference play with a game at Melrose-Mindoro this week. The Mustangs are also 0-2, coming off of a 32-6 loss to Abbotsford. B-T hosts Whitehall next week.

E/PC 52 B-T 20

The Wildcats were moving the ball early, but a pair of mistakes were too much to overcome.

B-T received the opening kickoff and was marching down the field. The Wildcats had a first down at the E/PC 40-yard line after Tavian Shramek ran on a third-and-one play. It looked as if B-T would get another big gain when Shramek found CJ Dummer open on the next play. However, the pass was a little behind Dummer, the sophomore receiver was able to adjust and get his hands on it, but wasn’t able to secure the catch as the ball bounced in the air. That’s where Blake Allen was waiting, he grabbed the interception and returned it 67 yards for a touchdown. 

Aasen Birtzer ran in the two-point conversion, making the score 8-0.

B-T’s offense came right back as Shramek connected with DaVonne Turner for a 14-yard completion for a first down at the E/PC 31. Jackson Shramek then ran to six yard-line, but that’s where the drive stalled. After a penalty on first down, Jackson Shramek lost a yard on second. 

Tavian Shramek connected with Ben Lien for what would’ve been a short game, but Lien lost the ball and E/PC recovered at their own 13.

It took Allen just one play to flip the field as he carried it all the way down to the B-T 12 for a 75-yard run. Birtzer scored from five yards out two plays later, making the score 14-0 with 7:13 left.

B-T’s offense was still clicking. Shramek ran for 10 yards on the first play of their next possession. B-T faced a third-and-five before Shramek threw down the field for Payton Kelly, who secured the catch at about the 30 before weaving his way in for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was no good.

But the Wildcats had no answer for the Wolves on the other side.

E/PC marched right down the field again, this time the drive ended with a 26-yard touchdown run by Riley Bechel, capping a 90-yard drive with 2:03 left in the first quarter. The two-point conversion gave E/PC a 22-6 lead.

Jackson Shramek had a long run to start B-T’s next drive, putting them inside the E/PC 40, but a sack on fourth down gave the ball back to the Wolves. 

B-T had a chance for a stop, but Birtzer broke free for a 31-yard touchdown on a third-and-five play, making the score 28-6. The two-point try was stopped.

The Wolves scored again after a B-T punt as Birtzer hit Riley Bechel on a deep pass for a 56-yard touchdown. Birtzer ran in the two-point try to make the score 36-14.

B-T answered as Jackson Shramek ran for a 10-yard touchdown, making the score 36-14 at halftime, but the Wolves broke the game open early in the second half.

Birtzer and Bechel hooked up for another touchdown with 8:37 left in the third quarter. Allen ran in the two-point try, making the score 44-14. Owen Kober got in the section with a 13-yard touchdown with 53 seconds left in the third. Allen’s two-pointer put E/PC ahead 52-15.

B-T scored one last play as Tavian Shramek capped a drive with a two-yard touchdown run, but the game was out of reach.

While B-T racked up 314 yards of offense, the turnovers were too much to overcome in a game in which the Wildcats couldn’t get a stop.

Tavian Shramek passed seven-for-14 for 154 yards. Jackson Shramek led the rushing attack with 112 yards on 17 attempts.

But the Wolves dominated the line of scrimmage when they were on offense. E/PC ran for 373 yards in the game, averaging 10.1 per carry. Birtzer finished with 126 yards on 15 attempts, while Allen rushed for 103 on seven carries. Birtzer completed both of his pass attempts for 80 yards and two touchdowns. 

B-T

Rushing (att./yds.) — J. Shramek 17/112 T. Shramek 11/26 Kniseley 6/19 Turner 1/3 Lien 1/0

Receiving (rec./yds.) —Dummer 2/48 Kelly 1/47 Kniseley 2/44 Turner 1/14 Wagner 1/9 Lien 1/2

Passing (comp./att./yds.) — T. Shramek 7/14/154

Tackles (solo/total) — Lien 2/7 Dummer 3/4 T. Shramek 1/3 Trapp 1/3 Kelly 1/2 Turner 0/1 Wagner 0/2 Johnson 0/1 J. Shramek 1/1 Kniseley 5/5 Jahr 3/3 Kling 3/6 Paulson 7/10 Taylor 1/2 Truschka 0/2 Nehring 0/2 Andrews 0/2