The Yutan Chieftains will take on the Tekamah-Herman Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Yutan will bounce into Friday's match after beating Archbishop Bergan, who they hadn't topped in seven consecutive meetings. In a tight matchup that could have gone either way, Yutan made off with a 7-6 win over Archbishop Bergan. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Chieftains.
Yutan was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 203 rushing yards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved they're rushing yard total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Tekamah-Herman had to endure an 11-game losing streak dating back to last season, but that streak is no more. They walked away with a 24-14 victory over North Bend Central on Friday. Tekamah-Herman's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Spencer Pagels and Parke Loftis were among the main playmakers for Tekamah-Herman as the former rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown and the latter picked up 62 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Loftis also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, picking up a sack and making four total tackles in addition to snagging an interception.
Tekamah-Herman's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged three passes before it was all said and done. It was truly a group effort as Pagels, Griffin Breckenridge, and Loftis picked up one apiece. Another thorn in North Bend Central's side was Alex Braniff, who picked up a sack and made 13 total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Yutan's win bumped their record up to 2-3. As for Tekamah-Herman, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-4.
Friday's contest might be decided in the trenches. Yutan has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 153.4 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Tekamah-Herman, though, as they've been averaging only 84.2. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for Yutan against Tekamah-Herman in their previous matchup back in October of 2023, as the squad secured a 56-6 win. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Pagels, who rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Yutan still be able to contain Pagels? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
