In a dominant showing the Axtell Eagles opening the 2021 8-man DII playoffs Thursday with a 48-0 victory over Beloit-St. Johns Tipton in a game that was ended at halftime.

The Eagles raced out to a 16-0 lead after the first quarter scoring on the second play of the game with Isaac Detweiler hitting Brandon Schmelzle on a swing pass for a 72-yard touchdown and then Schmelzle scoring on a 3-yard run after holding the Blujays on downs.

The second quarter is where everything went wrong for the Blujays as they turned it over three straight times with Detweiler and Schmelzle each racking up interceptions and then Schmelzle recovering a fumble on a kickoff.

Axtell scored after each turnover with Schmelzle scoring on a 7-yard run before Detweiler added a 3-yard run and a 35-yard touchdown pass to Grady Buessing.

Before you could blink the Eagles led 40-0.

Detweiler capped on the scoring with his second rushing score of the night from 22 yards out and after another stop on defense the Eagles were able to run out the final two minutes of the half to end the game.

Detweiler finished with 285 yards passing and two touchdowns in the win while rushing for two more scores and collecting 73 yards on the ground.

Schmelzle had a monster performance recording two rushing touchdowns, 105 yards receiving and a score, an interception and a fumble recovery.

Axtell (9-0) now gets set for a huge matchup in the sectional round next week as the Eagles will host TVL foe Hanover who beat Osborne Thursday night 24-6.