Preview: Ovid-Elsie Marauders vs. Almont Raiders
The Ovid-Elsie Marauders will head out on the road to face off against the Almont Raiders at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the pair will really light up the scoreboard.
Ovid-Elsie had already proven themselves in the regular season, and didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They came out on top against Constantine by a score of 38-25 on Saturday. The win was familiar territory for Ovid-Elsie who now have five in a row.
Clayton Fruchey went supernova for Ovid-Elsie, rushing for 202 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 7.5 yards per carry, and also catching a touchdown. Fruchey was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 50 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Tryce Tokar, who threw for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Almont put the finishing touches on their seventh blowout victory of the season on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 49-24 margin over Edison Academy. With Almont ahead 35-0 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Jonny Gjoka had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns on only 13 carries. Chase Battani also helped out as he racked up 103 rushing yards.
Their wins bumped Ovid-Elsie to 8-4 and Almont to 11-1.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Saturday's matchup: Ovid-Elsie has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 186.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Almont struggles in that department as they've been even better at 270.3 per game. It's looking like Saturday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Ovid-Elsie beat Almont 21-14 in their previous meeting back in October of 2022. Does Ovid-Elsie have another victory up their sleeve, or will Almont turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
