The Columbus Grove Bulldogs will face off against the Marion Local Flyers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are still undefeated (Columbus Grove has 14 wins , while Marion Local has 30 dating back to last season).
Columbus Grove is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. Their defense stepped up to hand St. John's a 14-0 shutout. Given the Bulldogs' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio football rankings (they are ranked 35th, while the Bluejays are ranked 205th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Columbus Grove's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Trevon Baxter led the charge by picking up 108 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Baxter also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making 11 total tackles (1.0 for loss) and defending a pass in addition to snagging an interception. Columbus Grove also got a significant boost from Trenton Barraza, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 107 yards.
Columbus Grove didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Grant Eversole and Baxter. Another thorn in St. John's side was Landen Huston, who made 13 total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Columbus Grove was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 202 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 150 rushing yards in ten consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Marion Local strolled past Minster with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 21-7.
Columbus Grove's record is now 14-0. As for Marion Local, their record is now an identical 14-0.
Columbus Grove was taken down by Marion Local 27-0 in their previous matchup back in November of 2022. Can Columbus Grove avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
