Football Game Preview: Garaway Pirates vs. Kirtland Hornets

The Garaway Pirates will face off against the Kirtland Hornets at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Garaway sitting on five straight wins and Kirtland on 12.

Garaway is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They came out on top against Dalton by a score of 25-16.

Micah Yoder

Receiving Yards (Career)

11/14/25 vs Dalton	135
08/30/24 vs Waynedale	84
10/04/24 vs Indian Valley	83
11/08/24 vs Garfield	68
09/06/24 @ West Muskingum	45

Micah Yoder had a dynamite game, picking up 135 receiving yards and one TD. Those 135 receiving yards gave him a new career-high.

Garaway didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Dalton to a completion percentage of just 50%. The Pirates weren't nearly as limited: they posted one of 73.3%.

Meanwhile, everything came up roses for Kirtland against Smithville on Friday as the team secured a 35-7 victory. Fans of the Hornets have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 20+ points.

Garaway better keep an eye on John Silvestro. He was instrumental in Kirtland's win, rushing for 147 yards and one score while picking up 7.7 yards per carry. Silvestro's rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his seventh straight game with at least 105 rushing yards. Ty Bledsoe was another key player, rushing for 72 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Garaway's record now sits at 9-2. As for Kirtland, their record is now 12-0.

Garaway ended up a good deal behind Kirtland in their previous meeting back in November of 2023, losing 17-0. Can the Pirates avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.