The Southwestern Trojans will be playing at home against the Eden/North Collins Raiders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Southwestern is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.
Southwestern is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Medina 48-7. Given the Trojans' advantage in MaxPreps' New York football rankings (they are ranked 60th, while the Mustangs are ranked 251st) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Southwestern's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Trent Lewis, who rushed for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only nine carries, and also threw for 122 yards and one TD while completing 83.3% of his passes. Lewis' longest rush was for an impressive 50 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Another rusher making a difference was Bradyn Fuller, who rushed for 110 yards and a pair of scores on only 14 carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Southwestern was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 292 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 266 rushing yards in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Eden/North Collins' game on Thursday was all tied up 22-22 at the half, but luckily for them it didn't stay that way. They strolled past Portville/Cuba-Rushford/Hinsdale Central with points to spare, taking the game 43-28.
Southwestern better keep an eye on Brady Waring. He was instrumental in Eden/North Collins' win, throwing for 264 yards and five TDs while completing 72.4% of his passes, and also rushing for 93 yards and one touchdown on only 12 carries. Waring is on a roll when it comes to passing touchdowns, as he's now passed for four or more in each of the last three games he's played. Eden/North Collins' leading receiver Silas Nellis was Waring's top target yet again, picking up 145 receiving yards and three scores.
Southwestern's record is now 9-0. As for Eden/North Collins, their record now sits at 8-1.
The upcoming game will be a clash of competing strengths. Southwestern has deployed a run-first offense that has averaged 254.9 rushing yards a game. Meanwhile, Eden/North Collins has preferred to attack from the air: they average 267.8 passing yards per game. So which strategy will prevail on Friday? There's only one way to find out.
Southwestern took their win against Eden/North Collins when the teams last played back in September of 2024 by a conclusive 48-28 score. In that matchup, the Trojans amassed a halftime lead of 34-8, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
