Football Preview: Elgin Wildcats vs. Pflugerville Panthers
Elgin has been on the road for two straight, but on Friday they'll finally head home. They will welcome the Pflugerville Panthers at 7:30 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.
Having struggled with four losses in a row dating back to last season, Elgin finally turned things around against McCallum on Friday. Everything went their way against the Knights as they made off with a 50-26 win. The Wildcats' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
A big part of Elgin's victory came down to the chemistry between Dylan Owens and his top target Jalen Owens. Dylan gained 258 total yards and two touchdowns while Jalen gained 233 total yards and three touchdowns. Jalen was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 51 yards.
Elgin's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged five passes before it was all said and done. Noddyn Bailey led the group effort, picking up two of those interceptions all by himself. Matthew Clear is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made seven or more in the last four games he's played dating back to last season. Elgin got some further help from Jackson Clowdus: he picked up a sack and made 11 total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Pflugerville put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Navarro 78-0 at home. That looming 78-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Panthers yet this season.
Pflugerville relied on the efforts of Rhyder Miller, who rushed for 126 yards and three touchdowns on only six carries, and Cole Taylor, who threw for 121 yards and five touchdowns on perfect 6-for-6 passing. Another back making a difference was One Grant, who rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown on only five carries.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Pflugerville was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 244 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Elgin's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for Pflugerville, their victory bumped their record up to 4-0.
Everything came up roses for Elgin against Pflugerville in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, as the team secured a 44-17 win. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Miller, who rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown, and also picked up 31 receiving yards. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Elgin still be able to contain Miller? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
