The Cuero Gobblers will take on the Rockport-Fulton Pirates at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Cuero knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 31 points or more in their past 11 matchups -- so hopefully Rockport-Fulton likes a good challenge.
Cuero is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 35-14 margin over Gonzales. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Gobblers' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 113th, while the Apaches are ranked 404th).
Jaxxon Marie had another great game (as he tends to do), rushing for 66 yards and two touchdowns, while also throwing for 145 yards and a pair of TDs.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Cuero was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 316 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.
Meanwhile, Rockport-Fulton's game on Friday was all tied up 14-14 at the half, but luckily for them it didn't stay that way. They breezed past Salado to the tune of 56-28. The Pirates pushed the score to 35-14 by the end of the third, a deficit the Eagles had little chance of recovering from.
Rockport-Fulton's win came from a few key players Cuero will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jaxon Keown, who rushed for 139 yards and three scores on only ten carries, and also picked up 51 receiving yards. He is becoming a predictor of Rockport-Fulton's success: when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns the team is undefeated (and 3-4 when he doesn't). Zane Rios helped out on the ground, rushing for 115 yards.
One reason for the win was Rockport-Fulton's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for six sacks. Wyatt Kalhoefer refused to say out of the backfield, picking up two sacks all by himself. Rockport-Fulton got some further help from Kalhoefer: he picked up two sacks, forced one fumble, and made 16 total tackles.
Cuero pushed their record up to 11-1 with the win, which was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season. As for Rockport-Fulton, their record is now 8-4.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Cuero has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 217.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Rockport-Fulton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 298.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Cuero and Rockport-Fulton were almost perfectly matched up when the teams last played back in October, but Cuero suffered an agonizing 57-56 loss. Can the Gobblers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
