Wagner DB Ernest Blackshire Jr. exits with injury vs. California
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Wagner Seahawks defensive back Ernest Blackshire Jr. was injured against the California Golden Bears, who had a 39-7 lead after the first half at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California.
Blackshire went down with an apparent upper body injury at the 8:04 mark of the first quarter after making a tackle on Cal wide receiver Chase Hendricks. Hendricks caught a 9-yard pass from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Blackshire closed in for tackle, assisted by Olanrewaju Adeyemi.
The Golden Bears were ahead 7-0 at the time of the injury. Blackshire was able to leave the field on his own power after being tended to by the Wagner team medical staff.
Blackshire is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound defensive back from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Riverside University High School before. Blackshire is a redshirt junior transfer from South Dakota State. He has eight tackles and a sack so far in the 2026 season.
Cal went on to finish the drive with a touchdown with 5:58 in the first quarter after Adam Mohammed ran for 6 yards for six points. It was his second touchdown of the game.
The Golden Bears later added to the lead on a 80-yard catch and score by receiver Kyion Grayes from Sagapolutele. Cal converted a two-point conversion to extend the lead to 22-0 with 3:30 in the opening quarter.
Mohammed added a third score of the game, all in the first quarter. This last one was a 65-yard receiving touchdown after catching a short pass from Sagapolutele and taking it the length of the field outrunning Wagner defenders with a minute left in the period. Cal led 29-0 after the first quarter.
Another Wagner defensive back injured
Cal continued to dominate the game and Wagner was battered in the process as another defensive back was injured in the contest.
Freshman backup nickel Kasiem Cromwell came up hobbling after he made a tackle on Cal receiver Cooper Perry with 5:15 left in the second quarter. He officially went to the ground for an official's timeout with 5:10 in the quarter.
Sagapolutele found Perry on a screen pass that Perry took up the field for 17 yards. Cromwell came over, made the tackle and got up limping away from the play. Cromwell is a freshman from Staten Island, New York.
After he left with injury, the Golden Bears scored plays later. Perry scored his first-career touchdown, a 16-yard reception from Sagapolutele with 4:08 in the second quarter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wagner DB Ernest Blackshire Jr. exits with injury vs. California
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