Football Preview: Perry Maroons vs. Jones Longhorns
After each having a week off, the Perry Maroons and the Jones Longhorns will shake off the cobwebs and face off against one another at 6:55 p.m. on Friday. Jones took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Perry, who comes in off a win.
Two weeks ago, Perry beat Luther 21-12.
Perry got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Andrew Kukuk out in front who rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown, and also picked up 51 receiving yards. Kukuk didn't just play on offense: he also made six total tackles and defended a pass. Another pass catcher making a difference was Tajon Williams, who picked up 89 receiving yards and a touchdown.
On the other side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Perry's defense and their four sacks. In that department, Kiylnd Williams was the leader with two.
Meanwhile, Jones came up short against Bethany two weeks ago and fell 36-29. The loss was the Longhorns' first of the season.
Jones' loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Acyn Hansen, who threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns while completing 75.9% of his passes, and Coda Harris, who gained 90 total yards and two touchdowns. A healthy portion of that aerial production (82 yards to be exact) went to Carlos Hardeman.
Perry's win ended a three-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 2-1. As for Jones, their defeat was their first of the season and also makes their record 2-1.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Perry has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 169.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Jones struggles in that department as they've been averaging 173.7. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Perry was taken down by Jones 49-21 in their previous meeting back in November of 2019. Thankfully for Perry, Elijah Reed (who rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on only five carries, and also picked up 77 receiving yards) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps