Football Game Preview: Hardin-Jefferson Hawks vs. Liberty Panthers

The Hardin-Jefferson Hawks will head out to square off against the Liberty Panthers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Hardin-Jefferson will be strutting in after a win while Liberty will be coming in after a defeat.

Hardin-Jefferson took a 35-point loss the last time they faced off against Vidor, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Hawks won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by the Pirates 29-28. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Hawks as it put an end to their four-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, Liberty was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They were beaten by Bridge City 49-18. While losing is never fun, the Panthers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 881st, while the Cardinals are ranked 293rd).

Liberty's loss dropped their record down to 2-7. As for Hardin-Jefferson, their win bumped their record up to 4-5.

Hardin-Jefferson came up short against Liberty in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, falling 39-30. Can the Hawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.