Football Preview: Thayer Central Titans vs. Sandy Creek Cougars
The Thayer Central Titans will head out to square off against the Sandy Creek Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Thayer Central's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points every time they've taken the field this season.
Thayer Central took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They secured a 42-36 W over Sutton.
It was another big night for Sam Souerdyke, who rushed for 229 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 8.2 yards per carry, and also picked up 73 receiving yards and a touchdown. He was no stranger to the big play, lighting up the secondary with a catch that went for 61 yards. Backing up that air attack was Laken Wiedel, who rushed for 110 yards and a rushing touchdown.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Thayer Central was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 339 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 204 rushing yards in seven consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Thayer Central's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Souerdyke and Carson Mclaughlin. Souerdyke's rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his seventh straight game with at least 113 rushing yards dating back to last season. Thayer Central got some further help from Colton Kuhlmann: he picked up a sack and made 15 total tackles.
Meanwhile, Sandy Creek put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Tri County 59-6 on the road. Given the Cougars' advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska football rankings (they are ranked first, while the Trojans are ranked 124th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Sandy Creek's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Ethan Shaw, who threw for 228 yards and three touchdowns on only 18 passes, and also rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries. Shaw also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making five total tackles and defending a pass. Kamerin Sealey was another key player, gaining 174 total yards and four touchdowns.
Thayer Central pushed their record up to 3-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home. As for Sandy Creek, their record is now 4-0.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the on the ground. Thayer Central has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 300 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Sandy Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging 261. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Thayer Central was taken down by Sandy Creek 42-6 in their previous matchup back in September of 2015. Thankfully for Thayer Central, Foster Galaway (who rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 9.0 yards per carry) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
