Rochester is 9-0 against Decatur Eisenhower since August of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Rochester Rockets will look to defend their home field against the Decatur Eisenhower Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Rochester will be strutting in after a victory while Decatur Eisenhower will be coming in after a defeat.
Rochester took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They walked away with a 38-30 win over Normal University. The score was all tied up 17-17 at the break, but the Rockets were the better team in the second half.
Rochester's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Tanner Beal led the charge by punching in three rushing scores, while also throwing for 138 yards and a touchdown while completing 72.2% of his passes. Beal didn't just play on offense: he also made 11 total tackles and defended three passes. Kaiden Stout helped Beal out on the ground, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown while picking up 7.5 yards per carry.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Rochester was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 202 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Normal University only rushed for 62.
Meanwhile, Decatur Eisenhower was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their tenth straight loss dating back to last season. They took a blow against Lincoln, falling 55-24. One positive for the Panthers, at least, is that this was the most points they've scored all season.
Rochester now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Decatur Eisenhower, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-5.
Everything came up roses for Rochester against Decatur Eisenhower in their previous meeting back in September of 2023, as the team secured a 59-0 victory. Will Rochester repeat their success, or does Decatur Eisenhower have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
