Paoli hasn't had much luck against Brownstown Central recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Rams will venture away from home to challenge the Braves at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Paoli is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They breezed past Eastern to the tune of 50-0. The victory was familiar territory for the Rams, who have now won seven contests in a row.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Paoli to victory, but perhaps none more so than Justin Thornton, who rushed for 120 yards on only five carries, and also picked up 64 receiving yards and one TD. Thornton's longest rush was for an incredible 98 yards. Another pass catcher making a difference was Dane Padgett, who gained 128 total yards and two touchdowns.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Paoli was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 278 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 251 rushing yards in seven consecutive matchups.
Paoli didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Gunner Smith, Lynkon Campbell, and Trey Robbins picked up one apiece. Robbins got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, while Brownstown Central put up plenty of points on Friday, the same can't be said for Tell City. The Braves claimed a resounding 48-0 win over the Marksmen. Given the Braves' advantage in MaxPreps' Indiana football rankings (they are ranked 49th, while the Marksmen are ranked 218th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Paoli better keep an eye on Preston Garrison. He was instrumental in Brownstown Central's win, rushing for 159 yards on only seven carries. Those 159 rushing yards gave Garrison a new career-high.
Brownstown Central's victory bumped their record up to 10-0. As for Paoli, their win bumped their record up to 8-2.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Paoli has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 299.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Brownstown Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 295 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Paoli might still be hurting after the 48-25 defeat they got from Brownstown Central when the teams last played back in November of 2024. Can the Rams avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
