The Delta Eagles will venture away from home to take on the Pendleton Heights Arabians at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Delta and New Castle, and Delta kept the tradition alive. The Eagles came out on top against the Trojans by a score of 27-20 on Friday.
Aven Thomas produced another solid performance rushing for 178 yards and four scores while picking up 10.5 yards per carry. He showed off some serious burst, turning on the afterburners on one carry for 67 yards.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Delta proved: they limited New Castle to a paltry 2.9 yards per carry. While five picked up at least two total tackles, Matt Morey stood above the rest. He made two total tackles and defended one pass. Delta's run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 4.03 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 5.37 on average over their last five games.
Meanwhile, Pendleton Heights hadn't done well against Mt. Vernon recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Arabians blew past the Marauders 56-13. The result was nothing new for the Arabians, who have now won four games by 29 points or more so far this season.
Delta better focus on containing Brandt Gray and Joel Weaver as the pair were huge in Pendleton Heights' win. Gray rushed for 64 yards and a pair of TDs, while Weaver rushed for 48 yards and three touchdowns.
Pendleton Heights didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Talan Foster.
Pendleton Heights' record is now 5-1. As for Delta, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 3-3 record this season.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Delta has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 159 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Pendleton Heights struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 163.7 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Delta barely slipped by Pendleton Heights when the teams last played back in October of 2024, winning 27-26. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
