The Western Hills Cougars will head out to square off against the Decatur Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Having struggled with three losses in a row, Western Hills turned things around against Diamond Hill-Jarvis last Friday. They took their contest with ease, bagging a 76-6 win over the Eagles. The Cougars' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Tyler Johnston went supernova, throwing for 194 yards and three touchdowns while completing 76.9% of his passes, and also rushing for 33 yards. Rodney Hill was in the mix as well, providing Western Hills with two scores.
Western Hills didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off seven passes before the game was over. Ashton Richardson led the group effort, picking up three of those interceptions all by himself. Warren Carter got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Eagles on Thursday. Decatur claimed a resounding 83-7 victory over Diamond Hill-Jarvis. Decatur might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by 33 points or more this season.
Decatur's win came from a few key players Western Hills will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jake Milligan, who rushed for 89 yards and three TDs on only nine carries. Those three rushing touchdowns gave him a new career-high. Jamari Fletcher was another major influence, as he rushed for 75 yards and ran in a TD.
Decatur was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 313 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Decatur's defense and their five sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as five different players picked up one apiece. Keaton Goode was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making six total tackles (3.0 for loss) in addition to snagging an interception.
Western Hills' record now sits at 2-3. As for Decatur, their record is now 4-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Western Hills has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 222.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Decatur struggles in that department as they've been averaging 214.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Western Hills was taken down by Decatur 66-7 when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Thankfully for the Cougars, Jed Ross (who threw for 205 yards and a pair of touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes) 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.
