The McCamey Badgers will take on the Ropes Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The timing isn't great for McCamey: they have been struggling with three straight losses at home, while Ropes has snatched up three consecutive wins on the road.
McCamey is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Eldorado on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Badgers were outmatched by the Eagles and fell 73-34. The Badgers were already down big by the end of the third quarter and they stayed that way after failing to score in the fourth.
Trace McMurray
| 10/31/25 @ Sterling City | 157.9 |
| 11/07/25 vs Eldorado | 114.6 |
| 10/17/25 @ Van Horn | 113.9 |
| 09/12/25 @ Christoval | 100.8 |
| 09/05/25 vs Colorado | 97.4 |
| + 4 more games |
Despite the loss, McCamey saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Trace McMurray rushed for 57 yards and two TDs, and also threw for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns. McMurray's passing game has become a key predictor of the Badgers' success: the team is 2-1 when his passer rating is 110 or higher, but only 1-6 otherwise. McCamey's leading receiver Braiiden Garcia Cox was McMurray's top target yet again, picking up 89 receiving yards and one score.
Meanwhile, Ropes got themselves on the board against Plains on Friday, but Plains never followed suit. They took their contest with ease, bagging a 60-0 win over the Cowboys. Considering the Eagles have won nine games by more than 29 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
McCamey better focus on containing Jaivyth Cruz and Zayden Pittman as the pair were huge in Ropes' win. Cruz rushed for 138 yards on only seven carries, while Pittman gained 85 total yards and three touchdowns. Those 138 rushing yards gave Cruz a new career-high.
Ropes was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 283 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 170 rushing yards in eight consecutive matchups.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Ropes, adding 14 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Pittman, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Ropes' victory bumped their record up to 9-1. As for McCamey, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-7.
Thursday's contest might be decided on the ground. McCamey has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 212.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Ropes struggles in that department as they've been averaging 268.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for McCamey against Ropes in their previous meeting back in November of 2021, as the team secured a 48-6 win. Will the Badgers repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
