Career nights from Vansice, Dee not enough for Baxter football in loss to Moravia

BAXTER — Career nights from Stadan Vansice and Eli Dee were not enough for the Baxter football team on Friday night.

The Bolts threw for a season-high 306 yards, but Moravia spoiled their Homecoming following a 54-32 win during Class 8-man District 7 action.

The loss eliminates the Bolts from a top-three finish in the district. The top three teams in each 8-man district earn automatic bids into the state playoffs.

Vansice was 22-of-35 through the air for 306 yards, which were all career highs. He also matched a career best with five touchdown passes, threw one interception and rushed for 83 yards on 19 carries in the loss.

Vansice ranks eighth in 8-man with 1,029 passing yards and seventh with 18 passing touchdowns.

Dee had the best game of his prep career, finishing with a career-best 13 catches for a career-most 214 yards and a career-high four receiving touchdowns.

Dee’s 43 catches for 738 yards and 15 touchdowns all lead the class.

Colten Damman caught four passes for 53 yards and one TD and Hayden Burdess snagged four catches for 31 yards.

Vansice led the defense with 10 tackles. Burdess totaled six tackles, Dee had 4.5 tackles, Miles McCord, Trevor Hamilton, Cole Frasher and Cody Spurgeon all chipped in four tackles and Ruger Kincaid had 3.5 tackles. Damman contributed three tackles and Frasher recovered a fumble.

Moravia (4-2, 2-2 in the district) scored its first win over Baxter (2-4, 2-3) since at least 2007. It was the first meeting between the two teams since 2019.

The Mohawks rushed for 258 yards on 51 carries. Kale Moore threw for 105 yards, rushed for 36 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Blake Ewing totaled 99 rushing yards and two scores and had eight tackles and three tackles for loss on defense.

Luke Long rushed for 75 yards and two TDs and chipped in 7.5 tackles and one interception, Declan DeJong grabbed five passes for 73 yards and one TD and Casen Woodward tallied 10 tackles.