By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Ellsworth Bearcats handled their business in a hard-fought 34-31 win over Garden Plain last week to advance to the 2A quarterfinals and secure their first nine-win season since 1987.
“That game was a real slugfest so I’m glad we were able to come out on top,” Ellsworth head coach Josh Homolka said. “Both teams played really physical and both played really well but we were fortunate to be the ones moving on.”
Now, the Bearcats (9-1) will look to go where no Ellsworth team in recent memory has, as they turn their attention to an undefeated Norton squad fresh off a narrow 18-6 win of their own over TMP.
Despite eeking out their round of 16 victory on the scoreboard, the win over Garden Plain was a true team victory, and Ellsworth is hopeful that it will serve as a preamble for better things still to come.
“That was the best game that Ian Andalon has played, it’s the best game that Loden West has played, it’s the best game our offensive line has played,” Homolka said. “Nobody is 100% healthy but that’s the closest we’ve been in awhile and I feel like we’re peaking at the right time.”
That level of excellence will be needed once again against a Norton team that hasn’t lost a game all season.
The BlueJays have owned the air all year, boasting the third-best passing offense (204 yds/g), and second-best passing defense (57 ya/g) in Class 2A.
Much of that success has come on the back of junior signal caller Eli Jones, who has racked up over 2,500 yards of total offense this season, accounting for 32 touchdowns while surrendering just seven turnovers.
“Norton’s quarterback is a really good player,” Homolka said. “He’s the kind of guy who can get in the run game but can really throw it too so we’ll have to be wary of where he’s at at all times.”
On the other side of the ball, Norton has been a top-ten unit all season long, and enters this contest ranked fifth in scoring defense (7.5 ppga), and sixth in total defense (178 yds/ga).
“They run an old 5-2 defense and they make you earn the run game,” he said. “They like people trying to throw on them because then they have five guys rushing you. We saw a similar front last week and this will be a little different but being able to run the ball makes everything easier.”
While the BlueJays have been stout all season, Ellsworth counts among the small handful of teams to top Norton defensively this year,
ranking 3rd in scoring defense (7.3 ppga), and fifth in total defense (177 yds/ga).
The Bearcats will also receive the benefit of playing this game in front of the Ellsworth faithful in what should be a ruckus home crowd on Friday night.
“Nobody likes traveling and you definitely don’t want to travel all the way to Norton,” Homolka said. “Our community is really excited to have a big playoff game here in Ellsworth and the guys are really excited.”
Kickoff between the Bearcats and BlueJays is set for 7:00 at Ellsworth High School with the winner advancing to face one of two undefeateds in SES or Hoisington.