The Northwest Christian Crusaders will face off against the Paradise Honors Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
On Friday, Northwest Christian was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 21-16 to Peoria.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Landon Beckman, who picked up 98 receiving yards and one TD.
Meanwhile, Paradise Honors entered their matchup against St. Mary's on Friday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. The Panthers fell 35-28 to the Knights.
Like Northwest Christian, Paradise Honors lost despite seeing results from several players. Chuck Van Dyke led the charge by rushing for 135 yards and a pair of scores. Van Dyke also punched in two rushing touchdowns, which is notable because the Panthers are 4-1 when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns, but 1-3 otherwise. Preston Brown was another key player, picking up 136 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Even if they lost, Paradise Honors' defensive line still kept up the pressure with four sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Evan Seashols, Maverick Hoskin, and Sam Johnson, who each picked up one sack apiece.
Paradise Honors' defeat dropped their record down to 5-4. As for Northwest Christian, their loss dropped their record down to an identical 5-4.
Thursday's game might be decided on the ground. Northwest Christian has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 151.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Paradise Honors struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 215.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
