Football Game Preview: Slater Wildcats vs. Norborne/Hardin-Central

The Slater Wildcats are taking a road trip to take on Norborne/Hardin-Central at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Slater took a loss when they played away from home two weeks ago, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They blew past Keytesville 44-8. The Wildcats' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

Carter Duncan produced another solid performance rushing for 148 yards and three TDs on only 13 carries, while also picking up 136 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. His longest reception was for an impressive 65 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per catch total.

Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Slater proved: they limited Keytesville to a paltry 2.6 yards per carry. The team can thank Payton Zdybel for the heroic effort on defense: he. Slater didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 5.7.

Meanwhile, Norborne/Hardin-Central strolled into their game on Friday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They claimed a resounding 58-24 win over Lincoln. The final result isn't all that surprising considering Norborne/Hardin-Central's considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Missouri football rankings (they are ranked ninth, while Lincoln is ranked 161st).

Norborne/Hardin-Central didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Brody Fifer. Norborne/Hardin-Central received some extra help from Adan Rodriguez, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.

Norborne/Hardin-Central's record is now 5-0. As for Slater, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-4.

Slater was taken down by Norborne/Hardin-Central 60-12 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Can the Wildcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.