The South Western Mustangs will venture away from home to take on the Spring Grove Rockets at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. South Western has given up an average of 28 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
South Western managed to slip by William Penn the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Mustangs were outmatched by the Bearcats and fell 50-21. The Mustangs were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 28-7.
Although South Western took the loss, they still got scores from Wyatt Carbaugh, Jacob Graham, and Brooklyn Calcutt.
Meanwhile, Spring Grove hadn't done well against Dallastown recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Rockets took their game with ease, bagging a 35-7 win over the Wildcats. Considering the Rockets have won five contests by more than 27 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
South Western better keep an eye on Davis Baum. He was instrumental in Spring Grove's win, throwing for 159 yards and three touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes, and also rushing for 35 yards and one score. That's the most passing touchdowns Baum has posted since back in October of 2024. Jordan Eisenhart was Baum's top target, picking up 80 receiving yards and a pair of TDs.
Spring Grove didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Andrew Gerber and Eisenhart. Eisenhart is also on a roll when it comes to receiving touchdowns, as he's now hauled in two or more in each of the last three games he's played. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Spring Grove pushed their record up to 6-3 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 14.3 points on average over those games. As for South Western, they now have a losing record of 4-5.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. South Western has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 168 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Spring Grove struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 246.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
South Western strolled past Spring Grove in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a score of 26-9. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mustangs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
