Westerville South's game on Friday was all tied up 14-14 at the half, but sadly for them it didn't stay that way. They fell just short of the Hayes Pacers by a score of 24-21. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Wildcats of the 36-33 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in September of 2023.
Ethan Bennett threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns.
Isaac Patterson was his top target, making six total tackles and defending two passes. On the ground,
Jhalil Armstrong rushed for 90 yards on only 12 carries.
It was another big night for Favour Akih, who rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.4 yards per carry for Hayes. Akih's rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his seventh straight game with at least 151 rushing yards dating back to last season. Caleb Rowe was another key player, throwing for 166 yards and a touchdown.
Westerville South has traveled a rocky road recently having lost four of their last five matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-4 record this season. As for Hayes, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 5-2.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. A feisty cat fight will be fought when Wildcats takes on Westland at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. They know how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 31 points or more in their past five matches -- so hopefully Westerville South like a good challenge. As for Hayes, they will challenge Dublin Scioto at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Hayes is facing Dublin Scioto at the right time seeing as Dublin Scioto is stuck on a four-game losing streak.
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