The Thayer Central Titans will challenge the Sandy Creek Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Thayer Central knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 31 points or more in their past four games -- so hopefully Sandy Creek likes a good challenge.
Thayer Central took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They snuck past Sutton with a 42-36 victory.
Sam Souerdyke was his usual excellent self, rushing for 229 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 8.2 yards per carry, and also picking up 73 receiving yards and a touchdown. He showed off some serious burst, connecting on a big catch for 61 yards. Thayer Central also got a significant boost from Laken Wiedel, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 110 yards.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: 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. Thayer Central got some further help from Colton Kuhlmann: he 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 breezed by Tri County on the road to the tune of 59-6. 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 got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Ethan Shaw out in front who threw for 228 yards and three touchdowns on only 18 passes, and also rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries. Shaw didn't just play on offense: he also made five total tackles and defended a pass. Another player making a difference was Kamerin Sealey, who gained 174 total yards and four touchdowns.
Thayer Central pushed their record up to 3-1 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. As for Sandy Creek, their record now sits at 4-0.
Friday's contest 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 match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Thayer Central was taken down by Sandy Creek 42-6 in their previous matchup back in September of 2015. 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? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
