The Sundown Roughnecks will head out to square off against the Ropes Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Friday, everything came up roses for Sundown against Plains as the team secured a 35-7 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Roughnecks.
Meanwhile, while Ropes put up plenty of points on Friday, the same can't be said for Smyer. The Eagles took their game with ease, bagging a 66-0 victory over the Bobcats. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Eagles' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 584th, while the Bobcats are ranked 1176th).
Ropes' win came from a few key players Sundown will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Zayden Pittman, who rushed for 52 yards and three TDs, and also threw for 68 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only six passes. Those three rushing touchdowns gave him a new career-high. Ryland Kieth also helped with two scores in total.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Ropes proved: they limited Smyer to a paltry -3.6 yards per carry. The team can thank Cason Kucel for the heroic effort on defense: he. Ropes hasn't allowed more than 4.9 yards per carry in four consecutive contests.
Ropes' defense didn't let Skyler Pond, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Britton Mitchell, Kucel, and Tyler Harbuck, who each picked up one sack apiece. Ropes received some extra help from Maddux Sierra, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Sundown's record now sits at 3-4. As for Ropes, their record is now 6-1.
Sundown beat Ropes 28-21 when the teams last played back in October of 2024. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Pittman, who rushed for 83 yards on only seven carries, and also threw for 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Roughnecks still be able to contain Pittman? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
