After each having a week off, the Bristol Central Rams and the South Windsor Bobcats will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Bristol Central was handed a 42-point defeat in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene last Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Hall, sneaking past 24-21. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Rams have posted since October 4, 2024.
Gabriel Ouellette was his usual excellent self, rushing for 237 yards and two TDs while picking up 8.8 yards per carry, and also throwing for seven yards and one touchdown.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Bristol Central was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 339 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in October of 2024.
Meanwhile, South Windsor entered their tilt with Conard last Friday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They put the hurt on the Red Wolves with a sharp 50-26 victory. The game was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point the Bobcats had established a 22-point advantage.
South Windsor's win came from a few key players Bristol Central will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jalil Montgomery, who rushed for 217 yards and four scores while picking up 9.9 yards per carry. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 119.8 rushing yards per game. Ryan Faux also helped out as he racked up 117 rushing yards.
South Windsor didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Justin Flor and Colton Flaherty.
South Windsor now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Bristol Central, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-4.
Thursday's contest might be decided on the ground. Bristol Central has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 242.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like South Windsor struggles in that department as they've been averaging 318.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Bristol Central strolled past South Windsor in their previous matchup back in September of 2024 by a score of 32-13. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rams since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
