Football Recap: Merkel Starts Season with Victory on the Road

Merkel had to travel to play their first game of the season, but the final result was worth the trip. They came out on top against the Ballinger Bearcats by a score of 38-26 on Friday. For the Badgers, this counts as revenge for the 28-10 win the Bearcats walked away with the last time they faced one another back in August of 2024.

A big part of Merkel's victory came down to the chemistry between Easton Malone and his top target Kaden Blubaugh. Malone threw for 319 yards and four TDs while picking up 13.3 yards per attempt while Blubaugh picked up 190 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Blubaugh really caught the secondary sleeping when he pulled down a catch that went for 78 yards.

Merkel's defense made their presence known, laying out Wyatt Clemens. six times. In that department, Rayson Houston was the leader with two sacks.

Ballinger's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Clemens, who threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 12.8 yards per attempt. Hunter Kresta was Clemens' top target, picking up 101 receiving yards and a pair of scores.

Coming up, Merkel will face off against Bangs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Ballinger, they will square off against Christoval at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.