11/15/2025
BY JACK BULLOCK
CASEY - Hardin Calhoun head coach Aaron Elmore rolled the dice twice on crucial plays in the fourth quarter of the Warriors 1A quarterfinal game Saturday afternoon at Casey-Westfield.

Each time the dice came up “sevens,” which ended the Casey-Westfield season with “snake-eyes.”

Undefeated Calhoun converted a fourth-and-four from its own 23-yard line on a perfectly executed fake punt and then converted another fourth down and short in the final minute in C-W territory.

The two big plays pushed the Warriors into the state semifinals with a 28-21 victory on the road.

Hardin Calhoun will now face Brown County next Saturday while the playoff run for Coach Jeff Fritchtnitch and his team and 2025-26 season ended at 9-3.

Senior multi-purpose player Jack Goode came up with the “goods” on the first fourth down.

Coach Elmore called for a fake punt and Goode found a seam up the middle of the defense and rambled 45-yards into C-W territory, which led to the go ahead score.

“We all left it out there. The whole team, they're my family,” said Goode. “Coach gave me the call (signal) and Jake (Brannan) made the best block I've seen all year. That kid (Karras) number two is a beast and Jake took him out of the play. We're here (final four) and we don't plan on leaving. We're here to win it and these are the guys to do it.”

Sophomore quarterback Earl Elmore threw just seven passes but he completed six of those for 80-yards and punishing running back Jacob Brannan rumbled to 24 times for 108-yards and a touchdown.

Goode scored twice on runs of 36-yards and from a yard out and made the most of his seven total attempts.

The senior totaled 107-yards but the biggest play was his fake punt.

Taking the snap in punt formation, Goode ran up to the right side of the field and busted through the initial containment.

Cutting back to the middle of the field the the senior sprinted into Casey-Westfield territory before being brought down by C-W's Jackson Julius at the 31.

The 45-yard run was a game-changer.

Five plays later Goode took it to the house on a sweep left from four-yards out.

Goode, who also handles kicking duties, nailed the PAT kick for a 28-21 lead with 3:53 remaining.

Hardin Calhoun came up big defensively on the day as well.

Two big defensive plays by junior defensive back Lane Ellerman, one in the first half and one on Casey-Westfield's final drive, helped the Warriors stay undefeated at 12-0.

Ellerman dived for a deflected pass and caught the ball just off of the ground for an interception.

This turnover set up Hardin Calhoun's second score with Brannan finishing the short 45-yard drive with a one-yard TD for a 13-8 lead with 6:15 left in the second quarter.

Ellerman defended a long fourth-down pass in the fourth quarter, which gave Hardin Calhoun the ball back with 2:30 left.

Ellmore's quarterback sneak on fourth-and-short from the Casey-Westfield 17 got just enough for the first down as a measurement confirmed that he reached the mark.

A kneel down by the sophomore moved the Warriors into the semifinals.

(CONTINUED)

Casey-Westfield did enough to win most games they would play but some key mistakes ended the campaign at 7-3.

Senior quarterback Nolan Clement connected on just 5-of-11 passes for 118-yards.

One of them was a 51-yard strike to wide out Nicholas Fouty to give Casey-Westfield a 14-13 halftime advantage.

Coach Fritchtnitch's club got a defensive stop they needed after the second half kickoff and then scored on a 74-yard drive.

Senior Kellen Sullivan went for 19-yards on the first play of the drive and senior Luke Karras ran twice in succession to get to the Hardin Calhoun three-yard line.

Sullivan took a pitch from Clement and went into the endzone for a 21-13 lead after the made PAT kick by Wyatt Erickson.

It was the final points of the day for Casey-Westfield.

Hardin Calhoun took just three minutes to score on its next possession as they tied the game on a successful two-point conversion.

Seventy-nine yards on seven plays, with a key pass from Elmore to junior offensive lineman turned tight end Charlie Matthews for 28-yards set up the game tying score.

A two yard quarterback sneak by Elmore and an Elmore to Goode two-point conversion pass with a diving catch evened the score at 21-21.

Casey-Westfield had its chances in the final quarter but couldn't get a score.

Two different drives stalled on the Calhoun side of the 50.

CW was forced to punt on the first drive which set up Goode and his fake punt run shifted the momentum.

Trailing after the Hardin Calhoun score, Clement was sacked by defenders senior Riley Lorsbach and junior Tommy Roth, which forced a fourth down throw on the next play that Ellerman broke up.

The pass was intended for Julius but Ellerman made the play as the pass fell incomplete.

Casey-Westfield needed a stop in the final 2:30.

However after taking the ball over on downs at the CW 25, Hardin Calhoun punched their ticket to the semifinals by reaching the 16-yard line facing a fourth down.

Elmore, a sophomore who shows the poise of a senior veteran, crashed through the line and was stopped right at the distance to gain.

A nerve racking measurement proved to be right on the line to make, giving Hardin Calhoun a pleasant three hour drive back to Calhoun County.

The Warriors will host conference rival Brown County next Saturday.

The Hornets stung Carrollton on Saturday in another quarterfinal matchup.

Brown County and Hardin Calhoun met in a Week #9 matchup won by the Warriors 21-12.

“In games that are neck-and-neck between two really good football teams, we needed to make some plays and we made them today,” said Coach Elmore. “Anytime you get to play at home is great I the playoffs. There will be a lot of people there (next week).”

Casey-Westfield bowed out in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season for Coach Fritchtnitch.

“It has been a pleasure to coach them and be around them. Unfortunately today we came up short,” said Coach Fritchtnitch. “In life, sometimes you come up short. Nobody hates losing more than me. I love these guys and my coaches. It's the passion of this game and what it brings. You have to love it.”