Two dominant signal callers in Laken Wiedel and Gage Walton are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Thayer Central Titans will square off against the Plainview Pirates on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Thayer Central is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They blew past Perkins County, posting a 47-6 win. Given the Titans' advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska football rankings (they are ranked 14th, while the Plainsmen are ranked 78th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Owen McLauhlin
| 10/23/25 vs Perkins County | 71 |
| 08/29/25 @ Heartland | 48 |
| 10/03/25 @ Southern | 34 |
| 10/10/25 vs Tri County | 20 |
| 09/05/25 @ Centennial | 15 |
Thayer Central's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Owen McLauhlin, who rushed for 71 yards and a pair of TDs on only seven carries. Those 71 rushing yards gave McLauhlin a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jaxon Krupicka, who rushed for 55 yards and one touchdown.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Thayer Central proved: they limited Perkins County to a paltry 3.3 yards per carry. The team can thank Brady Degenhardt for the heroic effort on defense: he. Thayer Central didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 6.9.
Meanwhile, Plainview waltzed into their game on Thursday with five straight wins... but they left with six. They breezed past the Cardinals to the tune of 43-8.
Plainview found their leader in sophomore Walton, who rushed for 209 yards and a pair of scores while picking up 10.5 yards per carry.
Plainview didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Braedon Kment, Walton, and Wyatt Schroth picked up one apiece. Walton is also on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in each of the last six games he's played. Kment got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Thayer Central's win bumped their record up to 8-1. As for Plainview, their victory bumped their record up to an identical 8-1.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Thayer Central has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 267.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Plainview struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 207.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
