Two dominant backs in Gabriel Peach and Caleb Crenshaw are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Hays Hawks will welcome the Anderson Trojans at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hays has given up an average of 31 points per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hays is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against College Station on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Hawks were beaten by the Cougars 52-7. The contest marked the Hawks' lowest-scoring matchup so far this season.
Meanwhile, Anderson put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their perfect season alive. They breezed past Cedar Creek to the tune of 62-3. Given the Trojans' advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 78th, while the Eagles are ranked 1029th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
A big part of Anderson's win came down to the chemistry between Cove Darbyshire and his top target Jay Fullmer. Darbyshire threw for 265 yards and a pair of touchdowns while picking up 12.6 yards per attempt while Fullmer picked up 127 receiving yards and two TDs. Fullmer showed off some serious burst, connecting on a big catch for 67 yards.
Anderson was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 286 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 286 rushing yards in six consecutive games.
Anderson's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB six times. That dominant display was truly a team effort as six different players picked up one apiece. They got some further help from Max Middleton: he picked up a sack, forced two fumbles, and made ten total tackles (6.0 for loss).
Anderson's victory bumped their record up to 7-0. As for Hays, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 4-3.
Thursday's contest might be decided on the ground. Hays has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 191.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Anderson struggles in that department as they've been averaging 301.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Hays ended up a good deal behind Anderson in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, losing 42-26. Will the Hawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.
