Last second touchdown lifts E/PC over B-T

When Blair-Taylor scored to tie the game with 16 seconds remaining, it seemed like overtime was inevitable. But the Wildcats had no answer for Elmwood/Plum City’s Trevor Asher as the senior broke through for the game-winning score 14 seconds later.

B-T coach Andy Nehring was proud of the way his  team battled and said they improved a lot from the 36-6 loss to Onalaska Luther, but Asher ran for 320 yards and four touchdowns in the game. This performance came a week after he ran for 147 yards against Alma/Pepin. He ran for 1,068 yards as a junior.

The loss put B-T at 0-2 as they open Dairyland Conference play at Independence/Gilmanton this week. The Indees are also 0-2 on the season, coming off of a 67-7 loss at Cashton. 

E/PC 26 B-T 20

The teams combined for four touchdowns in the game before scoring three in the final six minutes.

B-T scored first before E/PC took the lead late in the second quarter with a touchdown and two-point conversion. The Wolves scored again early in the third quarter, but B-T tied it up shortly after. 

Asher broke through with 5:35 left in the game, scampering for a 65-yard touchdown run. He was stopped on the two-point try, but his team led 20-14.

The Wildcats came through on their final possession when quarterback Ethan Knisley connected with Zach Nitek for a six-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the game. The two-point try was no good, but the Wildcats were in good position to force overtime.

That was, until Asher got loose again. 

After receiving the ensuing kickoff, the Wolves handed to their star senior again and he managed to break through for a 62-yard score with just two seconds left in the game. 

The two-point try was stopped, but B-T wasn’t left with enough time to get back in the game.

“Our players showed a lot of grit throughout the game,” Nehring said. “I was very proud of the way they handled themselves when they could have found a reason to get frustrated or quit. We never gave up.”

The coach said his team showed improvement from last week, which was evident in the passing game. After going three-for-eight with 24 yards and three interceptions against Luther two weeks ago, Knisley passed 14-for-22 with 125 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also led the team in rushing with 79 yards.

It was the ground game that put B-T ahead early as Jackson Shramek surged in for a six-yard touchdown with 5:52 left in the first quarter.

Asher’s first touchdown came late in the first half as be broke out for a 33-yard touchdown with 2:18 left. The senior ran in the two-point conversion to give the Wolves an 8-6 lead at halftime.

A 45-yard touchdown run on E/PC’s first second half possession put the team ahead 14-6 before the two-point try was stopped.

B-T came right back as Knisley connected with Nitek for a six-yard touchdown. B-T tied the game on a two-point pass from Knisley to Colton Koxlien with 6:18 left in the third. 

Ultimately, though, the Wildcats couldn’t stop Asher. The senior had two touchdown runs of more than 60 yards in the fourth quarter to lead his team to victory.

B-T

Rushing (att./yds.) — J. Shramek 17/59 Knisley 10/79 Gr. Armitage 3/5 Ga. Armitage 1/-2

Receiving (rec./yds.) — Nehring 6/70 Ga. Armitage 2/21 C. Koxlien 2/15 Nitek 2/12 J. Shramek 1/4 Gr. Armitage 1/3

Passing (comp./att./yds.) — Knisley 14/22/125

Tackles (solo/total) — Nitek 4/7 Lien 1/1 C. Koxlien 3/6 J. Shramek 1/4 Knisley 1/1 Ga. Armitage 4/9 Gr. Armitage 2/5 Nehring 1/8 Jahr 3/7 Roseth 4/12 Elvaker 2/3 Rogstad 2/3