Football Game Preview: Wilkes Central Eagles vs. Starmount Rams

The Wilkes Central Eagles will square off against the Starmount Rams at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Wilkes Central is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 43 points last Friday, they were much more limited against Alleghany on Friday. They had to suffer through a 42-6 loss at the hands of the Trojans. The Eagles were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 21-0.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Starmount, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They were the clear victors by a 35-13 margin over North Wilkes on Friday. Considering the Rams have won three contests by more than 21 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.

Wilkes Central better keep an eye on Jymir Billips. He was instrumental in Starmount's win, rushing for 84 yards and a pair of touchdowns. What's more, Billips posted two rushing touchdowns, the most he's had since back in October of 2024.

Starmount was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 218 rushing yards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their rushing yard total in three consecutive matchups.

One reason for the win was Starmount's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. Leading the way was Corey Armstrong with two.

Starmount's win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 6.6 points on average this season. As for Wilkes Central, their loss dropped their record down to 5-3.

Everything came up roses for Wilkes Central against Starmount in their previous matchup back in April of 2021, as the squad secured a 44-6 win. Will the Eagles repeat their success, or do the Rams have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.