The East Helena Vigilantes are taking a road trip to square off against the Laurel Locomotives at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few points on average (East Helena 14.2, Laurel 15) so any points scored will be well earned.
East Helena's defense heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They breezed past Park to the tune of 48-0. That 48 point margin sets a new team best for the Vigilantes this season.
East Helena found their leader in sophomore Cole Redden, who rushed for 94 yards and one score on only eight carries.
East Helena was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 253 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since the start of last season.
Meanwhile, Laurel faced Fergus in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Locomotives enjoyed a cozy 35-21 victory over the Golden Eagles. The high-scoring effort was just what the Locomotives needed considering they were shut out in their previous game.
East Helena better keep an eye on Curtis Fox. He was instrumental in Laurel's win, rushing for 219 yards while picking up 7.1 yards per carry. With that strong performance, Fox is now averaging an impressive 121 rushing yards per game. Krew Hunter was in the mix too, providing Laurel with two touchdowns.
Laurel's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB four times. Griffin Weisenberger was especially locked on to Fergus' QB and sacked him twice. Gabe Glassing got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
The win (which was East Helena's fourth in a row) raised their record to 4-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 5.3 points on average over those games. As for Laurel, their record is now 4-1.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. East Helena has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 184.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Laurel struggles in that department as they've been averaging 186.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
East Helena might still be hurting after the 49-29 defeat they got from Laurel in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Can the Vigilantes avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
