The South Barber Chieftains will face off against the Pawnee Heights Tigers on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
South Barber is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Golden Plains 54-8. The win was nothing new for the Chieftains as they're now sitting on eight straight.
South Barber got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Austin Swonger out in front who rushed for 122 yards and a pair of scores on only six carries, and also threw for 117 yards and two touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes. Swonger didn't just play on offense: he also picked up a sack and made six total tackles (2.0 for loss). Cody Shklar was another key player, rushing for 83 yards and three TDs on only nine carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: South Barber was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 254 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.
South Barber didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Garen Cantrell and Steele Smith. Smith got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Pawnee Heights challenged Cheylin on Friday. The Tigers claimed a resounding 51-6 win over the Cougars.
South Barber better keep an eye on Cody Holste. He was instrumental in Pawnee Heights' win, rushing for 251 yards and five scores on only 15 carries. Holste has become a key player for the Tigers: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns, but 2-4 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Alexis Ibarra, who rushed for 140 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 14 carries.
One reason for the win was Pawnee Heights' imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Leading the way was Helder Ibarra with two. Holste got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
South Barber's victory bumped their record up to 8-1. As for Pawnee Heights, their win bumped their record up to 6-4.
Everything came up roses for South Barber against Pawnee Heights in their previous matchup back in October, as the team secured a 58-12 victory. In that contest, the Chieftains amassed a halftime lead of 32-12, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
