Preview: Tucker County Mountain Lions vs. Tug Valley Panthers
Tucker County is on a six-game streak of home wins, while Tug Valley is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Tucker County Mountain Lions will take on the Tug Valley Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
With a playoff game on the line, Tucker County rose to the challenge on Friday. They blew past Midland Trail 46-6 at home. Considering Tucker County has won eight matchups by more than 20 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Tucker County's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ethan Rosenau, who threw for 283 yards and five touchdowns while completing 78.9% of his passes. Maddox Anderson was another key contributor, picking up 167 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Tug Valley sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 28-26 win over Tyler on Friday.
Tug Valley found their leader in underclassman Bryson Elia, who rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns, and also threw for 103 yards and a touchdown. Elia was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 69 yards. Another player making a difference was Adam Slone, who gained 104 total yards and a touchdown.
Another reason for the win was Tug Valley's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for seven sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Ashton Davis and Buddy Marcum who racked up six sacks between them.
Tucker County's victory bumped their record up to 11-0. As for Tug Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 9-2.
Keep an eye on the end zone in Saturday's game as the two teams haven't had much trouble getting there this season. Tucker County commands a daunting offense this season, having averaged 5.4 touchdowns per game. However, it's not like Tug Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.4 per game. With these two high-octane teams facing off on Saturday, fans should be in for an exciting offensive matchup. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
