CARRINGTON (NewsDakota)- Undoubtedly, the Carrington Cardinals would rather be playing in the postseason in 2025.  But if it had to end on Thursday night, it did so in perfect fashion.

Senior Max Whitman ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns as the Cardinals routed the playoff-bound Thompson Tommies 26-0 on Thursday night at Cardinal Stadium.

It started immediately for the Cardinals, who drove 71 yards in eight plays and Whitman plunged in from a yard out and it was 7-0.  It stayed that way until halftime.

But Carrington (4-5, 3-4) opened the second half with Whitman breaking away for a 60-yard touchdown run on the first play of the half, helped by a pancake block 20 yards downfield by fellow senior Tate Wolsky, and it was 14-0.  After Thompson (5-4, 4-3) stalled again, Whitman led a drive that ended with a 3-yard plunge, his third of the game.  Wolsky added a 2-yard run in the fourth as the Cardinals ran for 278 yards and held the Tommies to 108 total yards for the game.

Carrington says goodbye to nine seniors: Peyton Harrington, McKade Zink, Max Whitman, Tate Wolsky, Maddox McIlone, Jacob Boeshans, Cody Otto, Connor Gast and Jacob Hinrichs.