By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
On Wednesday night the Ell-Saline boy’s basketball team made its first trip in recent memory to the 2A state tournament, playing under the bright lights of Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
Anyone who thought those lights might be too bright for an emerging program like Ell-Saline was sorely mistaken, as the Cardinals knocked off the 6-seed in Rossville 82-78.
Despite what the seedings said, Rossville was a formidable foe, and came out of the gates swinging to take a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter, thanks in part to five made free throws.
Kas Kramer led the way for Ell-Saline in the first half, scoring 11 points in the first quarter, and six more in the second to keep the Cardinals in it with a 45-41 deficit at halftime.
The script at the line seemed to change at the break, as Rossville went from making ten free throws in the first half to just four in the second half, and Ell-Saline went from four first-half makes to 16 down the stretch.
Down one in the closing seconds of the third quarter Garrison Zerger stepped up for his moment in the spotlight, drilling a triple to deliver a 57-55 lead at the buzzer.
Rossville battled but that lead was one the Cardinals would hold as Ell-Saline secured the win, and a ticket to the second round of state 82-78.
Three different Bulldogs put up double digits in the loss, including Jack Donovan (25) Cameron Miller (16) and Jakoby McDonnell (13).
That proved to be no match for Ell-Saline, who put four Cardinals in double figures on Wednesday, anchored by a 25-point effort from Kas Kramer, 21 from Brogan Rowley, 17 from Reese Krone and 10 from Garrison Zerger.
For Rossville the season comes to a close at 16-8 while the Cards, now 21-3, advance to the state semifinals where they await Sterling (21-3) at 6:00 on Friday.