Football Recap: Hill City Piles Up the Points Against Ellis

Hill City lost to Ellis back in September of 2024, but they didn't allow them the same satisfaction on Friday. The Ringnecks claimed a resounding 62-26 victory over the Railroaders.

Hill City's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Tyler Ashbaugh, who rushed for 146 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 8.1 yards per carry. Ashbaugh also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making nine total tackles and defending one pass. Another player making a difference was Tate Balthazor, who rushed for 88 yards and a pair of scores on only ten carries.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Hill City was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 356 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 153 rushing yards in seven consecutive matchups dating back to last season.

Ringnecks

Interceptions

Koby Keiswetter	1
Tate Balthazor	1
Vincent Zohner	1
Slade Rohr	1

Hill City didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Koby Keiswetter, Balthazor, Vincent Zohner, and Slade Rohr picked up one apiece. Balthazor got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

Despite the loss, Ellis saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Trent Schartz threw for 192 yards and three TDs, and also punched in one touchdown on the ground.

Hill City pushed their record up to 1-1 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road dating back to last season. The team dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 27 points. As for Ellis, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-2.

Looking ahead, Hill City will look to defend their home field on Friday against Thunder Ridge at 7:00 p.m. As for Ellis, they will head out to square off against Hoxie at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.