Two dominant backs in Drew Blank and Keston Beavers are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Wilcox-Hildreth Falcons will be playing at home against the Elm Creek Buffaloes at 7:00 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.
On Friday, Wilcox-Hildreth didn't have too much trouble with Kenesaw as they won 36-18.
The match pitted two dominant backs against one another in Blank and Adam Denkert. Blank had a great game and threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns on only 14 passes. Meanwhile, Denkert was balling out in the loss, rushing for 112 yards and a pair of scores.
Thomas Donley
| 09/26/25 @ Blue Hill | 3 |
| 09/05/25 @ Deshler | 3 |
| 10/10/25 @ Kenesaw | 2 |
| 09/19/25 @ Axtell | 2 |
| 10/03/25 vs Franklin | 1 |
| + 2 more games |
Wilcox-Hildreth's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB four times. The heavy lifting was done by Brody Patterson and Thomas Donley, who racked up all four sacks between them. Donley also hauled in two receiving touchdowns, which is notable because Wilcox-Hildreth is 3-1 when he posts at least two receiving touchdowns, but 1-2 otherwise.
Meanwhile, Elm Creek entered their tilt with Axtell on Friday with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Wildcats 57-0. The contest marked the Buffaloes' most dominant win of the season.
Elm Creek's win came from a few key players Wilcox-Hildreth will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ryan Gene Hodges, who rushed for 72 yards and two TDs on only eight carries. Those two rushing touchdowns gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Kolten Keim, who rushed for 76 yards and one touchdown.
Elm Creek's run defense was locked in: Axtell could only muster 2.9 yards per carry. The team can thank Gene Hodges for the heroic effort on defense: he. Elm Creek's run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 4.43 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 8.27 on average over their last five games.
Elm Creek didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Emmett Shoemaker, Keim, Thomas Sullivan, and Beavers picked up one apiece. Beavers is also on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in each of the last three games he's played. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Wilcox-Hildreth now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Elm Creek, their victory bumped their record up to 5-2.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Wilcox-Hildreth has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 187.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Elm Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 238.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Wilcox-Hildreth came up short against Elm Creek in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, falling 34-30. Will the Falcons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.
