Football Game Preview: Merkel Badgers vs. Compass Academy Cougars

The Merkel Badgers will challenge the Compass Academy Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.

On Friday, Merkel came up short against Coahoma and fell 27-19. The Badgers gained 129 more yards on the day, but it was the Bulldogs that made the best use of them.

Merkel's defeat came about despite a quality game from Easton Malone, who threw for 179 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also rushed for 47 yards.

Even if they lost, Merkel's defense still kept up the pressure with three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Rayson Houston, John Smith, and Khyler Rodriguez, who each picked up one sack apiece.

Meanwhile, Compass Academy entered their tilt with Alpine on Friday with five consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with six. They claimed a resounding 41-14 victory over the Bucks. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Cougars' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 495th, while the Bucks are ranked 1051st).

Merkel better focus on containing Valois Terecero and Mason Hicks as the pair were huge in Compass Academy's win. Terecero rushed for 130 yards and two scores on only 11 carries, while Hicks threw for 182 yards and three TDs while completing 82.4% of his passes. With that strong performance, Terecero is now averaging an impressive 100.7 rushing yards per game. Another player making a difference was Ryian Farris, who picked up 61 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Compass Academy's win bumped their record up to 9-1. As for Merkel, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-4 record this season.