Football Game Preview: Hale County Wildcats vs. Sumter Central Jaguars

The Hale County Wildcats will head out to challenge the Sumter Central Jaguars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Hale County has given up an average of 29.3 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

It was a proper cat-fight when Hale County took on Thomasville on Friday. The Wildcats came out on top against the Tigers by a score of 42-35. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Wildcats considering their seven-point performance the matchup before.

Marcus Bryant, Jr. was his usual excellent self, rushing for 148 yards and four touchdowns on only 11 carries. Kaivien Ryans was another key player, rushing for 104 yards and a pair of scores on only seven carries.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Hale County was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 252 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Thomasville only rushed for 72.

Meanwhile, Thursday just wasn't the day for Sumter Central's offense. They were outmatched by Southside and fell 66-0. The loss continues a trend for the Jaguars in their meetings with the Panthers: they've now lost four in a row.

Sumter Central's defeat dropped their record down to 0-7. As for Hale County, they now have a winning record of 4-3.

Everything came up roses for Hale County against Sumter Central in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 46-6 win. In that game, the Wildcats amassed a halftime lead of 40-6, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.