Preview: Hesston Swathers vs. Clay Center Tigers
The Hesston Swathers will square off against the Clay Center Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Friday, Hesston had just enough and edged Marysville out 20-17. The victory was just what Hesston needed coming off of a 42-13 defeat in their prior matchup.
Hesston got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Reed Friesen out in front who rushed for 84 yards, and also threw for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson Fry was another key contributor, picking up 58 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Clay Center can now show off five landslide victories after their most recent game on Friday. They claimed a resounding 55-10 win over Clearwater at home. The victory was familiar territory for Clay Center who now have four in a row.
Brody Hayes was his usual excellent self, rushing for 98 yards and three touchdowns on only eight carries. The team also got some help courtesy of Eisaac Girton, who rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown on only five carries.
Hesston's victory was their fourth straight at home, bumping their overall record up to 5-4. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 33.5 points per game. As for Clay Center, their win bumped their record up to 8-1.
Hesston won a contest that couldn't have been any closer in their previous matchup back in October of 2019, slipping by Clay Center 28-27. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Clay Center's Logan Mullin, who rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be that much easier for Hesston to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
