<div>The Blair-Taylor football team had the defending Dairyland Conference champions on the ropes, but Pepin/Alma scored late for a 38-34 win. B-T still had a chance after P/A scored to take the lead, but a last-second pass into the end zone was knocked away by the home team. The Eagles have been the conference’s most dominant team, having not lost a DC game since 2021. With the loss, B-T fell to 3-2 on the season and 2-1 in Dairyland Conference play. It might not get easier for the Wildcats this week as they head to Cochrane-Fountain City. The Pirates are also undefeated this season, outscoring its opponents 190-37. P/A 38 B-T 34The Wildcats took the lead on a big play late, but the Eagles defended their nest to hold on for the win.Trailing 30-28, B-T was set to get the ball back late in the fourth, but a mistake by the P/A helped put B-T ahead. The Eagles were set to punt on fourth down before the snap flew well over the punter’s head. Hunter Wagner scooped the ball up for the Wildcats and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was stopped, but the Wildcats had a four-point lead late in the game. B-T’s defense held up well early in its next drive, but the Eagles rattled off a big run. B-T held strong the next couple of plays before Trenton Krzoska hit Mason Westberg for a 17-yard touchdown. Kroska then passed to Clayton Kegel for the two-point conversion to put the hosts ahead 38-34.The Wildcats moved the ball down the field, including connecting on a hook-and-ladder play. That set up a last-second heave by Tavian Shramek into the end zone, but the ball was knocked away without any time left on the clock. That was one of the few incompletions Shramek had. The senior passed 18-for-26 for 298 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. B-T began the game with a 44-yard strike from Shramek to CJ Dummer to put the team ahead 6-0. Dummer had 115 yards on five catches in the game. The Eagles struck back, scoring the next two touchdowns. Owen Post broke free for a 20-yard touchdown run and Justin Bergmann ran in the two-point try to put P/A ahead. Bergmann ran in a three-yard touchdown and another two-point try to make the score 16-6 early in the second quarter.Shramek struck again, hitting Hunter Wagner deep down the field for a 51-yard touchdown. Shramek ran in the two-point conversion to make it a two-point game. Bergmann scored again and Post ran in the two-pointer to put the Eagles ahead by 10.Shramek and Ethan Kniseley hooked up for a touchdown to bring B-T within four. The Wildcats nearly took the lead, but a fumble at the one-yard line sent the game into halftime with a 24-20 score. B-T’s senior quarterback gave the team the lead early in the third, running for a five-yard touchdown then passing to Dummer for the two-point conversion. Shramek added 80 rushing yards on 19 carries. P/A took the lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Krzoska early in the fourth. The teams exchanged possessions and leads for the rest of the quarter.Bergmann had 166 yards to lead the Eagles while Liam Midtovne added 141 on just 15 attempts. Krzoska passed two-for-three for 85 yards.B-TRushing (att./yds.) — Shramek 19/80 Johnson 6/17Receiving (rec./yds.) — Dummer 5/115 Wagner 2/92 Kniseley 8/55 Kruse 3/36Passing (comp./att.yds.) — Shramek 18/26/298</div>

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Eagles escape Wildcats upset bid

The Blair-Taylor football team had the defending Dairyland Conference champions on the ropes, but Pepin/Alma scored late for a 38-34 win. B-T still had a chance after P/A scored to take the lead, but a last-second pass into the end zone was knocked away by the home team. The Eagles have been the conference’s most dominant team, having not lost a DC game since 2021.