The Hamilton Lions will face off against the Hatley Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Hamilton has given up an average of 28.8 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
It was a proper cat-fight when Hamilton challenged Baldwyn on Friday. The Lions took a 38-28 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Bearcats.
Hamilton's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Justin Verner, who threw for 365 yards and a pair of TDs, and Ian Nichols, who picked up 148 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Hatley was able to grind out a solid victory over Walnut on Friday, taking the game 22-14. The win continues a trend for the Tigers in their matchups with the Wildcats: they've now won three in a row.
A big part of Hatley's victory came down to the chemistry between Chris Foster and his top target Tikiyu Buckingham. Foster rushed for 20 yards and one score while Buckingham rushed for 61 yards and one TD on only seven carries. An impressive showing, but Buckingham really ramped things up playing D: he made eight total tackles and defended one pass in addition to snagging an interception.
Hatley was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 210 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 154 rushing yards in three consecutive contests.
Hamilton's defeat dropped their record down to 6-3. As for Hatley, their win bumped their record up to 6-2.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Hamilton has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 184.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Hatley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 203.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Hamilton took their victory against Hatley in their previous matchup back in November of 2024 by a conclusive 34-14 score. In that contest, the Lions amassed a halftime lead of 28-8, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
