Two dominant backs in Zacarius Collins and Matthew Lollie are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Cottondale Hornets are taking a road trip to face off against the Liberty County Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Liberty County will be up against a hot Cottondale squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. The Hornets walked away with a 42-35 win over Franklin County on Friday. The score was all tied up 14-14 at the break, but the Hornets were the better team in the second half.
Cottondale's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Tramond Collins led the charge by rushing for 124 yards and two TDs on only ten carries. Another passer making a difference was Nick Heinemann, who threw for 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Cottondale didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Franklin County to a completion percentage of just 41.2%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from two players: Collins and Trashonn Collins, who each logged one passes deflected. Cottondale wasn't nearly as limited: they posted one of 56.2%.
Trashonn Collins
| 10/03/25 vs Franklin County | 2 |
| 09/26/25 @ Wewahitchka | 2 |
| 09/19/25 vs Lighthouse Private Christian Academy | 2 |
| 09/12/25 @ Freeport | 2 |
| 08/29/25 @ FAMU DRS | 2 |
Cottondale didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Tyler Jones and Collins. Collins has been hot, having also posted two or more receiving touchdowns the last five times he's played.
Meanwhile, while Liberty County put up plenty of points on Friday, the same can't be said for Wewahitchka. The Bulldogs claimed a resounding 42-0 victory over the Gators. The Bulldogs pushed the score to 35-0 by the end of the third, a deficit the Gators had no chance of recovering from.
Cottondale better focus on containing Wylder Harr and Dylan Marlow as the pair were huge in Liberty County's win. Harr rushed for 58 yards and one score, while Marlow rushed for 70 yards on only five carries. Those 58 rushing yards gave Harr a new career-high.
Cottondale's record now sits at 4-2. As for Liberty County, their record is now an identical 4-2.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Cottondale has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 314.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Liberty County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 167.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Cottondale came out on top in a nail-biter against Liberty County in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, sneaking past 56-53. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Hornets since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
