“Since I started freshman year, it’s always been a blast. [We] got to play JV [junior varsity] as like eighth graders, and getting pulled up, I was like, ‘We’re surrounded by the atmosphere and the guys.’ I mean, it was just such a blast,” Schacherer said. “Getting to grow up with these guys and playing with them all the time, the chemistry has always been there. It’s just been such a good time, and I’ve had so much fun.”

Adrian/Ellsworth chipped away late following three scoreless innings to start the game between both teams, setting the defensive tone early. Dawson-Boyd rallied in the bottom of the seventh, but the Dragon’s four-run lead was ultimately too much to fully overcome in the Blackjacks’ final at-bat.

“They battled every inning. They don’t take it for granted,” Dawson-Boyd head coach Daren Swenson said. “After we got down 4-0, they didn’t go down … Mentally, we were hanging in there.”

Eli Olson got the start on the mound, and finished with three strikeouts in his four innings pitched, while allowing two hits and two walks. Sather relieved the final two frames, tossing two strikeouts and allowed three hits.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Dawson-Boyd senior Eli Olson throws to first base for an out after fielding a hit against Adrian/Ellsworth Tuesday night in the Section 3A elimination final at Yankee Field in Milroy.

“It’s been awesome [being a part of the program] … We only had one senior my freshman year, and then the next year, we only had one senior, too. So, we were young and we’ve played well together,” Olson said. “It was hard. Two years ago, we got double-dipped obviously in the section championship, but it was fun. Then last year, we lost in the same game we lost here. But, no group I would rather do it with.”

The Dragons scored their first run in the top of the fourth as Dawson-Boyd momentarily struggled on the defensive end.

Adrian/Ellsworth got bases loaded following a Blackjacks’ dropped fly ball in right field, a walk and a hit batter. The next Dragons’ batter was also hit by a pitch, allowing for an automatic run.

Swenson did challenge the call and asked for clarification, to which the umpire stated the ball hit the batters’ hand.

Aedyn Dahl behind the plate was able to secure Dawson-Boyd’s last out to prevent more runs, with a force at first after grabbing a short ground ball.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Dawson-Boyd senior Holland Schacherer (left) celebrates alongside assistant coach Joshua Staab after a base hit against Adrian/Ellsworth Tuesday night in the Section 3A elimination final at Yankee Field in Milroy.

Sather got into scoring position in the bottom of the frame after walking, and moving to second and third following a Hansen sacrifice hit and a Schacherer successful bunt. Yet, the Dragons’ held off runs in response following a strikeout and catch in center field.

Adrian/Ellsworth deepened their lead another two runs in the fifth inning, both being scored on a two-run RBI single.

The Blackjacks were able to string together some hits, but the Dragons’ defense also continued to limit Dawson-Boyd’s opportunities in getting runs across the plate.

Adrian/Ellsworth also scored with bases loaded on a suicide bunt in the top of the seventh.

Facing a 4-0 deficit heading into their final plate appearance, the Blackjacks still battled. Aiden Olson and Colten Bothun each had a base hit, and Sather sent both of them home on a two-run RBI double with a line drive to deep right field to bring the score to 4-2.

Photo by Samantha Davis: The Dawson-Boyd baseball team goes down the hand-shake line following the loss to Adrian/Ellsworth Tuesday night in the Section 3A elimination final at Yankee Field in Milroy.

But, Adrian/Ellsworth took care of business to hang on for the win following three field plays on two fly-outs, and one line-drive catch.

The Blackjacks finished with eight hits to the Dragons’ five, and both teams committed two errors.

Dawson-Boyd opened the game with three straight outs through the first trio of Dragon batters, between a Schacherer left-field catch, and a ground-out infield play each from Sather and Eli Olson. Hansen, Bothun and Eli Olson each caught a fly ball in the third as well.

“As baseball goes, you’re going to strike out, you’re going to fly out to somebody, or somebody’s going to make a great play. I mean, that’s just baseball,” Schacherer said. “We said all the time, our swings aren’t the problem, and it’s not our attitudes that’s the problem, it’s just [that] we’re making good swings, and they [defenders] just happen to be there. So, just keep making the swings you’re making, and they’ll come. The hits will come. That’s how we approach every situation.”

Dawson-Boyd was competing for a spot to return back to the section championship after a year hiatus. The Blackjacks finished as section-runners up in 2024.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Dawson-Boyd senior Nathan Hansen throws to first base for an out after fielding a hit against Adrian/Ellsworth Tuesday night in the Section 3A elimination final at Yankee Field in Milroy.

The Blackjacks opened up the postseason with a pair of wins in the North subsection over Lakeview and Canby, and defeated Adrian/Ellsworth in the quarterfinals to bump the Dragons down to the elimination bracket. Dawson-Boyd fell to Murray County Central 4-0 in the semifinals.

“We haven’t been shut out all year until [last game], which is crazy … We just play so well together,” Eli Olson said. “I feel like we are really just a good group of guys that get along really well with our coaches. We’re a well-experienced group.”

Dawson-Boyd has continued to be a top threat throughout the section and Camden Conference over recent years, including this season. The Blackjacks entered the postseason 12-5, once again earning the North’s top seed.

Off the field, Dawson-Boyd was also rooted in brotherhood and created memories that will carry on.

“It’s [our approach to the game] been the same as all season — Just have fun, go out there and play baseball. That’s all it is,” Schacherer said. “Work on building chemistry as a team, so when the plays are there, you don’t have to worry about, ‘Oh, I’m not going to make this play.’ Just go out there, have fun, play baseball, that’s all it is.”

Photo by Samantha Davis: Dawson-Boyd senior Kameron Sather tosses a pitch against Adrian/Ellsworth Tuesday night in the Section 3A elimination final at Yankee Field in Milroy.

The Blackjacks’ graduating group have served as starters throughout the season and have been a part of the varsity team for a majority of their high school careers, leaving a mark on the program.

The four seniors were among the top of Dawson-Boyd’s offensive leaders, each with 21 or more hits on the season. Hansen, Eli Olson and Sather also split pitching duties, along with Bothun who is a junior.

“I’ve been coaching them since eighth grade or ninth grade, and it’s been wonderful coaching them guys,” Swenson said of his seniors. “I said that after the game. We [returning players] need to look at what these guys are doing, and who they were as leaders.”

BOX SCORE

BATTING

K. Moseng: 2-4; C. Bothun: 1-4, R; K. Sather: 1-3, 2RBI, BB; N. Hansen: 1-4; H. Schacherer: 1-3; A. Olson: 2-3, R.

PITCHING

E. Olson: 4.1 IP, 3 SO, 2H, ER, 2BB; K. Sather: 2.2 IP, 2 SO, 3H, ER.

Photo by Samantha Davis: The Dawson-Boyd baseball team huddles together after the game against Adrian/Ellsworth Tuesday night in the Section 3A elimination final at Yankee Field in Milroy.