Baxter football can’t overcome slow start against Montezuma

MONTEZUMA — The Baxter football team outscored Montezuma in the final three quarters of their non-district matchup on Friday night.

But the Braves led 14-0 after one quarter and held off the Bolts 55-44 at home.

Baxter out-gained the Braves 389-355, but Montezuma rushed for 328 yards and eight touchdowns in the victory.

The Bolts outscored the Braves 30-20 in the second but were outscored 21-14 in the final two frames.

Perrin Sulzle threw for 201 yards and two interceptions and rushed for 86 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. He also had a 12-yard reception.

Eli Dee threw for 39 yards and one TD and caught six passes for 68 yards, Cade Robinson gained 37 yards on five carries and caught five passes for 38 yards and Cainan Travis grabbed six passes for 64 yards and ran for 14 yards on two carries.

Stadan Vansice hauled in three passes for 44 yards and one TD, Maddux Tuhn brought in one pass for 14 yards and Jack Anderson gained 12 yards on his lone carry.

Travis led the defense with seven tackles and a 30-yard fumble return TD. Anderson also had seven tackles, Sulzle collected 6.5 tackles and Cael Wishman registered 5.5 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.

Aiden Johnson tallied four tackles, Carter Smith contributed 2.5 tackles and Trevor Hamilton recovered a fumble.

Brady Boulton led Montezuma (7-1) with 239 rushing yards and five TDs and Broox Stockman had 11.5 tackles and one sack on defense and 51 rushing yards and a TD on offense.

Baxter (3-4, 2-3 in the district) is still alive for a playoff berth. If the Bolts upset Class 8-man No. 3 and undefeated Audubon (7-0, 5-0) in their regular season finale, they earn the No. 3 seed from District 9.

A Baxter loss gives the automatic postseason bid to rival Collins-Maxwell.