Two dominant backs in Tobias Cromartie and Jaden Lewis are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Union Spartans will host the East Bladen Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Union is coming into the game on a five-game losing streak.
On Friday, Union took a blow against North Duplin, falling 49-20.
The match pitted two dominant backs against one another in Cromartie and Carell Phillips. Phillips had a great game and rushed for 292 yards and four scores while picking up 14.6 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cromartie did his best for the losing side, rushing for 120 yards and one TD.
Meanwhile, East Bladen got themselves on the board against Lakewood on Friday, but Lakewood never followed suit. They claimed a resounding 32-0 win over the Leopards. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by 26 points or more this season.
East Bladen's win came from a few key players Union will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Dashon Campbell, who rushed for 82 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
East Bladen was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 352 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 174 rushing yards in 13 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
East Bladen didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Xavier Potts, Lewis, and Raheem Lewis picked up one apiece. Jaden also rushed for 141 rushing yards, which is notable because East Bladen is 5-1 when he posts at least 100 rushing yards, but 1-2 otherwise.
East Bladen's victory bumped their record up to 6-3. As for Union, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-6.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Union has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 202.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like East Bladen struggles in that department as they've been averaging 291.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Union might still be hurting after the 53-29 loss they got from East Bladen in their previous matchup back in October of 2016. Will the Spartans have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
