Football Game Preview: Ellicott Thunderhawks vs. Rye Thunderbolts + How To Watch

Ellicott hasn't had much luck against Rye recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Thunderhawks will host the Thunderbolts at 7:00 p.m.

Ellicott's offense might be in the hot seat on Friday considering what happened against Buena Vista on Friday. They had to suffer through a 51-0 loss at the hands of the Demons. While losing is never fun, the Thunderhawks can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Colorado football rankings (they are ranked 164th, while the Demons are ranked 50th).

Meanwhile, Rye entered their tilt with Peyton on Friday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They walked away with a 14-7 win over the Panthers. That's two games straight that the Thunderbolts have won by exactly seven points.

Rye's win came from a few key players Ellicott will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jackson Bjorum, who rushed for 90 yards and one score on only 11 carries. Kyran Baker also helped out with an impressive 85 receiving yards.

Rye's run defense was locked in: Peyton could only muster 2.1 yards per carry. The team can thank Beau Hicks for the heroic effort on defense: he. Rye didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 7.1.

Rye's victory bumped their record up to 5-1. As for Ellicott, their loss dropped their record down to 4-2.

Ellicott came up short against Rye in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, falling 21-12. Will the Thunderhawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.