The Blair High School football team nearly upset Class B No. 2 Elkhorn on the road Thursday night.
In front of KXVO CW 15 television audience, the Bears led 21-14 during the fourth quarter of the 23-21 loss to the Antlers (4-0 overall). The loss dropped BHS' season record to 1-3.
Elkhorn scored the game-tying touchdown with 3:33 left when Henry Kroger took off on a 78-yard run and Cole Houck kicked through the extra-point. Then, with 2:42 remaining, the Antlers recorded a two-point safety when Bears quarterback Bode Soukup was called for an intentional grounding penalty from within his own end zone.
Before the final 3:33, though, coach Bryan Soukup's team outplayed the Antlers. Livai Opetaia scored the game's first touchdown on a 2-yard run during the first quarter.
The Bears remained ahead 7-6 during the third quarter when Bode Soukup hit Ethan Baessler in stride for a 43-yard touchdown pass. Kaden Sears added his second of three extra-point kicks and BHS led 14-6
Elkhorn pulled even with an 11-yard touchdown pass 6 minutes later, but the Bears had an immediate response. Baessler returned the Antlers' kickoff all the way down to the EHS 20, setting up Soukup's 5-yard touchdown run. The QB scrambled and bowled over an Elkhorn defender to put BHS back up seven, 21-14.
The lead didn't hold, but the coach Soukup said he was proud of his team's fight in the aftermath.
For the full story and additional photos, check out Tuesday's edition of the Washington County Pilot-Tribune. For more of the weekend's immediate football results, check back here at enterprisepub.com/sports late Friday night for information on the Fort Calhoun and Arlington football games.
