The Camp Point Central Panthers will face off against the West Central co-op [Winchester-Bluffs] Cougars at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Camp Point Central is headed into the game after thoroughly thrashing North Greene: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Panthers blew the Spartans out of the water with a 70-8 final score. The win continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Spartans: they've now won eight in a row.
Camp Point Central can attribute much of their success to Curtis Rigg, who gained 154 total yards and three touchdowns, and Kale Niekamp, who threw for 195 yards and three touchdowns while completing 83.3% of his passes. Rigg really caught the secondary sleeping when he pulled down a catch that went for 85 yards. Grant Hamilton got in on the action as well, returning a kick for a touchdown.
Special teams also played a big role in the game for Camp Point Central, adding 12 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Jackson Fowler, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when West Central co-op [Winchester-Bluffs] took on Beardstown on Friday. The Cougars blew past the Tigers 46-13. The game was the first time the Cougars have beaten the Tigers on their field since October 23, 2015.
Camp Point Central better keep an eye on Ryker Ford. He was instrumental in West Central co-op [Winchester-Bluffs]'s win, rushing for 152 yards and three TDs on only nine carries, while also throwing for 73 yards and one touchdown. Ford has become a key player for the Cougars: the team is 3-1 when he posts at least 80 rushing yards, but 2-3 otherwise. Tucker Arnold was another key player, gaining 98 total yards and a touchdown.
Camp Point Central's record now sits at 9-0. As for West Central co-op [Winchester-Bluffs], they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Saturday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Camp Point Central has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 302.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like West Central co-op [Winchester-Bluffs] struggles in that department as they've been averaging 168.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for Camp Point Central against West Central co-op [Winchester-Bluffs] in their previous meeting back in August, as the team secured a 50-8 victory. In that game, the Panthers amassed a halftime lead of 30-0, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Saturday.
