The Mogadore Wildcats will host the East Palestine Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Mogadore knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 31 points or more in their past five games -- so hopefully East Palestine likes a good challenge.
Two weeks ago, Mogadore got the win against Richmond Heights by a conclusive 42-22. The Wildcats might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by 20 points or more this season.
Meanwhile, it's playoff time, and East Palestine had no trouble coming through when it counted. They won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by Western Reserve 36-35. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Bulldogs have posted since October 4, 2024.
A big part of East Palestine's victory came down to the chemistry between Clark Rutledge and his top target Rj May. Rutledge threw for 272 yards and three TDs while May picked up 157 receiving yards and three scores. May showed off some serious burst, connecting on a big catch for 50 yards. East Palestine also got a significant boost from Zach Schnelle, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 83 yards.
Mogadore pushed their record up to 9-1 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 33.6 points over those games. As for East Palestine, their record now sits at 8-3.
Mogadore strolled past East Palestine in their previous meeting back in November of 2017 by a score of 39-20. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Bulldogs' Parker Steele Sherry, who threw for 239 yards and one touchdown, and also rushed for 53 yards and one TD. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Wildcats to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
