The Thayer Central Titans will take on the Sandy Creek Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Thayer Central's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points every time they've taken the field this season.
Thayer Central took a loss when they played away from home two weeks ago, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They secured a 42-36 W over Sutton.
It was another big night for Sam Souerdyke, who rushed for 229 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 8.2 yards per carry, and also picked up 73 receiving yards and a touchdown. He showed off some serious burst, cutting upfield on a catch for 61 yards. Laken Wiedel also helped out as he racked up 110 rushing yards.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Thayer Central was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 339 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 204 rushing yards in seven consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Thayer Central's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Souerdyke and Carson Mclaughlin. Souerdyke's rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his seventh straight game with at least 113 rushing yards dating back to last season. Another thorn in Sutton's side was Colton Kuhlmann, who picked up a sack and made 15 total tackles.
Meanwhile, Sandy Creek put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They took their contest on the road with ease, bagging a 59-6 win over Tri County. Given the Cougars' advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska football rankings (they are ranked first, while the Trojans are ranked 124th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Sandy Creek's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Ethan Shaw led the charge by throwing for 228 yards and three touchdowns on only 18 passes, while also rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries. Shaw also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, making five total tackles and defending a pass. Kamerin Sealey was in the mix as well, providing Sandy Creek with three touchdowns.
Thayer Central's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-1. As for Sandy Creek, their record is now 4-0.
Friday's match might be decided in the on the ground. Thayer Central has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 300 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Sandy Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging 264.8. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Thayer Central took a serious blow against Sandy Creek in their previous meeting back in September of 2015, falling 42-6. Thankfully for Thayer Central, Foster Galaway (who rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 9.0 yards per carry) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
