Columbus North lost to Bloomington South back in September of 2023, but they didn't allow them the same satisfaction on Friday. The Columbus North Bull Dogs enjoyed a cozy 32-14 victory over the Bloomington South Panthers. Given the Bull Dogs' advantage in MaxPreps' Indiana football rankings (they are ranked tenth, while the Panthers are ranked 50th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Columbus North's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Gino Prescott led the charge by rushing for 162 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.0 yards per carry. Prescott's rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his third straight game with at least 119 rushing yards dating back to last season. Columbus North also got help from Braylon Thoman, who showed off his sure hands for 81 receiving yards.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Columbus North was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 229 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since the start of last season.
One reason for the win was Columbus North's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for five sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Jose M. Ramirez Casas and Evan Saevre, who racked up four sacks between them. Cole Finney was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making nine total tackles (2.0 for loss).
When it comes to explaining why Bloomington South lost, don't look at Sam Giles. Despite the final result, he picked up 119 receiving yards and a touchdown. Giles is becoming a predictor of Bloomington South's success: when he posts at least 80 receiving yards the team is 3-1 (and 1-2 when he doesn't).
The win made it two in a row for Columbus North and bumps their season record up to 6-1. As for Bloomington South, their loss ended a five-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 4-3.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Columbus North will face off against Bloomington North at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Bloomington North will roll in looking for their seventh straight victory, something Columbus North surely won't give up without a fight. As for Bloomington South, they will take on Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory is coming into the match with three straight wins on the road, so Bloomington South will have to stop a squad with plenty of momentum.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
