Football Game Preview: Hillman Tigers vs. Heston Academy Patriots + How To Watch

The Hillman Tigers will venture away from home to challenge the Heston Academy Patriots at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Hillman took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They came out on top against Atlanta by a score of 46-34.

Evan Crane

Receiving Yards

10/03/25 vs Atlanta	220
09/26/25 @ Inland Lakes	49
09/20/25 @ Baldwin	77
09/12/25 vs Whittemore-Prescott	51
09/05/25 @ Mio-Au Sable	128
+ 1 more games

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Hillman to victory, but perhaps none more so than Evan Crane, who picked up 220 receiving yards and four TDs, and also rushed for 51 yards on only five carries. With that strong performance, Crane is now averaging an impressive 104.7 receiving yards per game. Another signal caller making a difference was Xavier Nichols, who threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns on only 16 passes.

Meanwhile, Heston Academy hadn't done well against Alcona recently (they were 0-4 in their previous four matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Patriots strolled past the Tigers with points to spare, taking the game 42-26. The Patriots' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

Hillman pushed their record up to 5-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 42.7 points over those games. As for Heston Academy, they now have a winning record of 3-2.

Hillman might still be hurting after the 26-0 defeat they got from Heston Academy in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.