Two dominant backs in Luke Starnes and Cori Tonte are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Plainfield Quakers will host the Franklin Community Grizzly Cubs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Plainfield is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Indiana's top teams: Decatur Central, who was ranked 12th at the time (Plainfield was ranked 20th). The matchup between the Quakers and the Hawks didn't end well, with the Quakers falling 37-19. The game marked the Quakers' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Plainfield's loss came about despite a quality game from Zander Nattam, who picked up 106 receiving yards and one touchdown. Nattam got the majority of those receiving yards when he pulled down a pass and took off for a gain of 67 yards.
Plainfield 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 Tashawn Calahan.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Franklin Community, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They came out on top against Mooresville by a score of 28-17 on Friday. The win was some much needed relief for the Grizzly Cubs as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
One reason for the win was Franklin Community's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece. They got some further help from Kellen Fellure: he forced one fumble and made four total tackles in addition to snagging an interception which he returned one-yard for a touchdown.
Franklin Community's victory was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 3-3. As for Plainfield, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 5-1.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Plainfield has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 202.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Franklin Community struggles in that department as they've been averaging 170.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Plainfield took their win against Franklin Community in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a conclusive 34-13 score. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Grizzly Cubs' Alex Leugers, who rushed for 175 yards and one TD while picking up 10.9 yards per carry, and also picked up 64 receiving yards. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Quakers to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
