The Clinton Cardinals will face off against the Boonville Pirates at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Clinton is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They put the hurt on Oak Grove with a sharp 27-7 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Cardinals.
This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Markus Oliver and Connor Bramell. Oliver rushed for 130 yards and one score on only 14 carries while Bramell rushed for 145 yards and one touchdown on only 12 carries. Bramell really tore up the turf during one magnificent 76-yard run. Jack English got in on the action as well, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Clinton didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Oak Grove to a completion percentage of just 42.9%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from two players: Preston Lynch and English, who each logged one passes deflected. Sadly, that's becoming something of a trend for Clinton; they were averaging 60.8%completion percentage earlier this season, but in their last three matchups they've fallen to only 60.8%.
Meanwhile, everything came up roses for Boonville against Center on Friday as the team secured a 56-14 victory. Given the Pirates' advantage in MaxPreps' Missouri football rankings (they are ranked 111th, while the Yellowjackets are ranked 253rd) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Clinton better keep an eye on Alex McDonald. He was instrumental in Boonville's win, rushing for 211 yards and three TDs while picking up 8.8 yards per carry. McDonald's rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his fifth straight game with at least 175 rushing yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Tatum Hough, who rushed for 29 yards and one touchdown.
Clinton's record now sits at 8-2. As for Boonville, their record is now 7-2.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Clinton has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 257.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Boonville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 205 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Clinton came up short against Boonville when the teams last played back in August of 2024, falling 27-14. Thankfully for the Cardinals, Cooper Pfeiffer (who rushed for 94 yards and a pair of scores on only 12 carries) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
