Football Preview: Salem Wildcats vs. Roxana Shells
The Salem Wildcats are taking a road trip to face off against the Roxana Shells at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with five losses in a row dating back to last season, Salem finally turned things around against East Alton-Wood River on Friday. They blew past the Oilers 42-8 on the road. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory the Wildcats have posted since September 15, 2023.
A big part of Salem's win came down to the chemistry between Kaeden Bevolo and his top target Trey Clark. Bevolo threw for 171 yards and three touchdowns while completing 85.7% of his passes while Clark rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns. A healthy portion of that aerial production (96 yards to be exact) went to Miking Ettress, who also brought in a receiving touchdown.
Meanwhile, Roxana had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 35 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They walked away with a 14-7 victory over the Eagles.
Salem's win ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 1-3. As for Roxana, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.
Thursday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Salem has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 214 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Roxana struggles in that department as they've been averaging 254.7. It's looking like Thursday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Salem was dealt a bruising 57-27 defeat at the hands of Roxana when the teams last played back in September of 2023. Thankfully for Salem, Evan Wells (who rushed for 134 yards and three touchdowns, and also picked up 31 receiving yards) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
