Axtell is 3-0 against Franklin since October of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Axtell Wildcats will look to defend their home field against the Franklin Flyers at 7:00 p.m. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Franklin is hoping to do what Elm Creek couldn't on Friday: put an end to Axtell's winning streak, which now stands at three games. Axtell blew past Elm Creek, posting a 52-20 win on the road. That 32 point margin sets a new team best for the Wildcats this season.
Elijah Bergstrom was his usual excellent self, rushing for 272 yards and seven touchdowns while picking up 10.5 yards per carry. He continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last five games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Tristen Benson, who rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Axtell was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 376 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 160 rushing yards in 12 consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Franklin). They claimed a resounding 58-20 victory over Blue Hill on the road. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Flyers as it put an end to their five-game losing streak.
Calvin Carraher continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 355 yards and seven touchdowns while picking up 17.8 yards per carry, and also throwing for 116 yards on eight of 15 attempts. That's the most rushing yards he has posted since back in October of 2023. Another player making a difference was Caiden Peterman, who rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown on only ten carries.
Franklin didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Ezekiel Vialpando and Carraher.
Axtell's victory bumped their record up to 3-4. As for Franklin, their win bumped their record up to 2-5.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Axtell has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 287.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Franklin struggles in that department as they've been averaging 241.9. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Axtell against Franklin when the teams last played back in September of 2018, as the team secured a 71-0 victory. Will Axtell repeat their success, or does Franklin have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
