Preview: Hooker Bulldogs vs. Merritt Oilers
Hooker is 7-0 against Merritt since September of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Hooker Bulldogs will head out on the road to face off against the Merritt Oilers at 7:00 p.m. Hooker knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past four games -- so hopefully Merritt likes a good challenge.
Hooker put the finishing touches on their sixth blowout victory of the season on Friday. They really took it to Burns Flat-Dill City for the full four quarters, racking up a 62-0 victory at home. Hooker pushed the score to 56-0 by the end of the third, a deficit Burns Flat-Dill City had no chance of recovering from.
Hooker's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Justin Palacios led the charge by rushing for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Palacios was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 66 yards. Hooker also got a significant boost from Tatum Trimble, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 112 yards.
Meanwhile, Merritt lost to Thomas-Fay-Custer on the road by a decisive 30-16 margin on Friday. Merritt has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Hooker's victory was their fourth straight at home, bumping their overall record up to 6-2. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.8 points per game. As for Merritt, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost five of their last six matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-6 record this season.
Everything came up roses for Hooker against Merritt in their previous matchup back in October of 2022 as the team secured a 43-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hooker since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
