Football Game Preview: Hilltop Cadets vs. Montpelier Locomotives

Hilltop hasn't had much luck against Montpelier recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Cadets will host the Locomotives at 7:00 p.m. Hilltop will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.

Hilltop took a 22-point loss the last time they faced off against Summerfield, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Cadets skirted past the Bulldogs 30-27. The score was all tied up 14-14 at the break, but the Cadets were the better team in the second half.

Scott Bowers was nothing short of spectacular: he rushed for 97 yards and a pair of TDs, and also picked up 33 receiving yards.

Meanwhile, Montpelier hadn't done well against Ottawa Hills recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Locomotives strolled past the Green Bears with points to spare, taking the game 36-18. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Locomotives considering their seven-point performance the contest before.

Montpelier had a senior duo take command as Hayden Sharps rushed for 69 yards and two touchdowns and Griffin Cooley gained 128 total yards and a touchdown.

Montpelier didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Sharps and Wesley Hartsock.

Montpelier now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Hilltop, their win bumped their record up to 3-4.

Hilltop was dealt a bruising 40-6 defeat at the hands of Montpelier when the teams last played back in October of 2024. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Cadets were down 33-6.