The Eureka Tornadoes will square off against the Bluestem Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Eureka will bounce into Friday's game after beating Humboldt, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. The Tornadoes blew past the Cubs 34-6 on Friday. The Tornadoes might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three matchups by 28 points or more this season.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Eureka to victory, but perhaps none more so than Tj Mills, who rushed for 85 yards and one score on only seven carries, and also picked up 49 receiving yards and one TD. Another player making a difference was Peyton Hare, who rushed for 40 yards and one touchdown.
Eureka didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Cole Ptacek and Mason Hughes.
Meanwhile, Bluestem took their contest on Friday with ease, bagging a 40-6 win over Central Heights. That 34 point margin sets a new team best for the Lions this season.
Eureka better keep an eye on Logan Squier. He was instrumental in Bluestem's win, rushing for 158 yards on only 13 carries. Squier's longest rush was for an impressive 58 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total.
Bluestem was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 279 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Central Heights only rushed for 119.
One reason for the win was Bluestem's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Tyllier Freeman, Jaxson Caywood, and Ayson Shepherd, who each picked up one sack apiece. Bluestem received some extra help from Myles Highbarger, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
The victory made it two in a row for Bluestem and bumps their season record up to 3-1. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 41.0 points over those games. As for Eureka, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Eureka has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 174.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Bluestem struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 257.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Eureka strolled past Bluestem in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a score of 30-14. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Lions' Colten Neal, who rushed for 171 yards and a pair of TDs. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Tornadoes to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
