Football Preview: Alma Panthers vs. Freeland Falcons
Alma hasn't had much luck against Freeland recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Alma Panthers will challenge the Freeland Falcons at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Alma took a loss when they played away from home two weeks ago, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They secured an 18-14 W over Bridgeport. The win was some much needed relief for the Panthers as it spelled an end to their six-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Freeland put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They claimed a resounding 61-6 victory over Powers Catholic on the road. Given the Falcons' advantage in MaxPreps' Michigan football rankings (they are ranked 43rd, while the Chargers are ranked 247th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Freeland got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Max Heyn out in front who rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns on only five carries. Heyn's longest rush was for an impressive 52 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. The team also got some help courtesy of Brayden Petre, who rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Freeland was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 409 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2023.
Freeland's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged three passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Kaden Gerzseny and Owen Case.
Alma's victory ended a six-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 1-3. As for Freeland, their record now sits at 4-0.
Alma was dealt a bruising 55-13 defeat at the hands of Freeland when the teams last played back in September of 2023. Can Alma avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
