Franklin is 0-3 against Axtell since October of 2014 but things could change on Friday. The Franklin Flyers will face off against the Axtell Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Franklin will head into Friday's match after some sweet revenge against Blue Hill: Franklin couldn't quite topple Blue Hill on Friday, but it was still a huge improvement compared to the 45-point defeat they took when the two last played. Franklin took their matchup on the road with ease, bagging a 58-20 win over Blue Hill. With that victory, the Flyers brought their scoring average up to 28 points per game.
Franklin found their leader in underclassman Calvin Carraher, who rushed for 355 yards and seven touchdowns while picking up 17.8 yards per carry, and also threw for 116 yards on eight of 15 attempts. Those 355 rushing yards set a new season-high mark for Carraher. Backing up that air attack was Caiden Peterman, who rushed for 128 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Franklin was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 500 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
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. That's the most rushing yards Carraher has posted since back in October of 2023.
Meanwhile, Axtell had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 18 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They claimed a resounding 52-20 win over the Buffaloes on the road. That looming 52-20 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Wildcats yet this season.
Elijah Bergstrom continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 272 yards and seven touchdowns while picking up 10.5 yards per carry. He is trending in the right direction considering he's improved his point production for five straight games. Tristen Benson was another key player, rushing for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Franklin moved to 2-5 with that victory, which also ended their five-game losing streak. As for Axtell, their record now sits at 3-4.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Franklin has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 241.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Axtell struggles in that department as they've been averaging 287.3. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Franklin was taken down by Axtell 71-0 in their previous matchup back in September of 2018. Can Franklin avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
