The Palmyra-Macedon Red Raiders will challenge Newark/Marion at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are still undefeated after four games, but that won't be the case come Friday.
Palmyra-Macedon's offense will try to repeat the strong performance it gave on Friday, when they got past Geneva's usually-dominant defense. The Red Raiders simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Panthers 33-6. Fans of the Red Raiders have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 20+ points.
Palmyra-Macedon's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Trey Porpora, who picked up 63 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. An impressive showing, but Porpora really ramped things up playing D: he forced one fumble, made eight total tackles (2.0 for loss), and defended one pass in addition to snagging an interception which he returned one-yard for a touchdown.
Palmyra-Macedon's run defense was locked in: Geneva could only muster 1.5 yards per carry. The team can thank Cormac Denniston for the heroic effort on defense: he. Palmyra-Macedon's ground attack was stronger, having averaged 3.5.
Palmyra-Macedon didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Jordan Goff, Porpora, Camron Quick, and Reid Diehl picked up one apiece. Porpora got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Newark/Marion earned a 28-21 win over Wayne on Friday.
Palmyra-Macedon better keep an eye on Carter Graser. He was instrumental in Newark/Marion's win, rushing for 54 yards and one score, while also throwing for 78 yards and three TDs. Their leading receiver Ki'Marion Woolfolk was Graser's top target yet again, picking up 45 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Newark/Marion's victory bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Palmyra-Macedon, their win bumped their record up to an identical 4-0.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the trenches. Palmyra-Macedon has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 157.5 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Newark/Marion, though, as they've been averaging only 79.8 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Palmyra-Macedon didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Newark/Marion when the teams last played back in October of 2024, but they still walked away with a 38-33 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Newark/Marion's Levar Moore, who rushed for 85 yards and a pair of TDs on only 11 carries, and also picked up 39 receiving yards and one score. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Red Raiders to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
