Norton is 9-0 against Thomas More Prep-Marian since October of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Norton Bluejays will head out on the road to square off against the Thomas More Prep-Marian Monarchs at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Norton is headed out to face Thomas More Prep-Marian after opening their season at home and giving their fans just what they were looking for. Norton claimed a resounding 55-8 victory over Oakley at home. Given the Bluejays' advantage in MaxPreps' Kansas football rankings (they are ranked 40th, while the Plainsmen are ranked 178th), the result on Friday wasn't entirely unexpected.
Norton's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Eli Jones led the charge by rushing for 44 yards and three touchdowns, while also throwing for 86 yards and a touchdown. Jones is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last five games he's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Brennen Pfannenstiel, who rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns on only ten carries.
Pfannenstiel wasn't the only one working in the rushing yards department: Norton was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 244 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Oakley only rushed for 120.
Norton's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. Jones picked up that interception and then proceeded to rub salt in the wound by taking it back the other way for a touchdown. He also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making three total tackles (2.0 for loss) and defending a pass in addition to snagging two interceptions which he returned one-yard for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Thomas More Prep-Marian had to travel to play their first game of the season, but the final result was worth the trip. They won a match that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by Russell 7-6.
Norton was able to grind out a solid win over Thomas More Prep-Marian in their previous matchup back in November of 2023, winning 18-6. Will Norton repeat their success, or does Thomas More Prep-Marian have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
