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BAXTER -- Defense and special teams shined bright for the St. Edmond football team here Friday night.
The Gaels scored four times less than four minutes into the game, rolling past Baxter, 74-24.
Grant Galles accounted for five touchdowns, including three kickoff returns, and St. Edmond (2-1 overall, 2-0 in district) set up a key early-season showdown with Audubon next Friday inside Dodger Stadium.
By the time the Bolts (1-2, 0-2) realized what was happening, the Gaels were up 28-0 following two Ethan Swisher-to-Dominic McClain TD passes and interception returns by Klay Baker and Galles.
"That was fun," SEHS head coach Matt Dillon said. "Honestly, I've never been involved in a game like that before. The kids came out and were fired up right from the start.
"Last year, this game was kind of the start of our downfall so it feels great to be going into Audubon with some momentum."
Even when Baxter got on track, Galles responded, returning his first kickoff back. He followed up his 72-yard return with a 57-yarder for six on an attempt to keep the ball from him.
Galles' third kickoff came to start the second half and covered 55 yards. He scored his fifth touchdown on a 46-yard pass from Swisher, who finished the night 5-for-5 for 103 yards.
"Grant is a special, special player," Dillon said. "Defense and special teams were so big for us. We had opportunities to make plays and the kids did.
"In preparing, we felt like we could take advantage of some openings in their kickoffs."
Galles finished with three catches for 63 yards, Baker rushed for 51 yards and Jakob Koopman picked off two passes. McClain added a fumble recovery, Max Webster had a sack and Koleman Hanson converted a 30-yard field goal.
Hanson also helped set the Gael defense up by knocking nine of his kickoffs back for touchbacks while also making three extra-point kicks.
"What Koleman brings is such a difference-maker," Dillon said. "To not allow them a chance to return the kickoff really provides the defense such a big lift."
In an interesting stat, Baxter ran 73 plays to just 26 by the St. Edmond offense while out-gaining them 295-154.
Audubon picked up a 72-0 victory over Exira-EHK last night.
SE B
First Downs 6 16
Rushes-Yards 18-51 28-118
Passing 103 177
Comp-Att-Int 5-6-0 22-40-4
Total Offense 154 295
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1
Punts-Avg. 0-0 1-12.0
Penalties-Yards 5-35 1-5
St. Edmond 36 25 13 0-- 74
Baxter 8 8 0 8--24
Scoring Summary
St. Edmond -- Dominic McClain (19-yard pass from Ethan Swisher), 9:26 left in first. Ethan Swisher run.
St. Edmond -- Klay Baker (18-yard interception return), 8:46) left in first. Baker run.
St. Edmond -- McClain (21-yard pass from Swisher), 8:26 left in first. Conversion failed.
St. Edmond -- Grant Galles (23-yard interception return), 8:07 left in first. Conversion failed.
Baxter -- Cade Robinson (20-yard pass from Eli Dee), 4:25 left in first. Conversion failed.
St. Edmond -- Galles (72-yard kickoff return), 4:15 left in first. Baker run.
Baxter -- Safety (Jack Anderson tackle in end zone), :34 left in first.
Baxter -- Perrin Sulzle (15-yard pass from Dee), 9:25 left in first. Dee-to-Cody Spurgeon conversion.
St. Edmond -- Galles (57-yard kickoff return), 9;16 left in second. Baker run.
St. Edmond -- Baker (3-yard run), 9:04 left in second. Koleman Hanson kick.
St. Edmond -- Baker (42-yard run), 6:24 left in second. Hanson kick.
St. Edmond -- Hanson (30-yard field goal), 1:14 left in second.
St. Edmond -- Galles (55-yard kickoff return), 11:50 left in third. Kick failed.
St. Edmond -- Galles (46-yard pass from Swisher), 3:55 left in third. Hanson kick.
Baxter -- Anderson (21-yard run), 6:31 left in fourth. Dee run.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing -- St. Edmond: Klay Baker 18-51, Aaron Hindt 4-17, Ethan Swisher 4-(minus-5), Matthew Crimmins 8-(minus-6). Baxter: Cainan Travis 28-118, Jack Anderson 6-69, Perrin Sulzle 4-18, Cade Robinson 10-17, Eli Dee 2-(minus-7).
Passing -- St. Edmond: Ethan Swisher 5-5-0-103, Thomas Ehn 0-1-0-0. Baxter: Eli Dee 21-38-4-166, Colten Damman 1-1-0-11, Perrin Sulzle 0-1-0-0.
Receiving -- St. Edmond: Grant Galles 3-63, Dominic McClain 2-40. Baxter: Cade Robinson 8-63, Cainan Travis 5-52, Perrin Sulzle 6-48, James Esqueda 1-11, Hayden Burgess 1-5, Jack Anderson 1-(minus-2).