Two dominant backs in Blayne Wilson and Zion Bell are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Hesston Swathers will face off against the Rock Creek Mustangs on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hesston is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They blew past Trinity Academy 35-0. The Swathers haven't had any issues with the Knights recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.
Hesston didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Jamison Drew Kohl, Eli Haug, and Gavin Larson picked up one apiece. Larson got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, while Rock Creek put up plenty of points on Thursday, the same can't be said for Smoky Valley. The Mustangs simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Vikings 56-0. Given the Mustangs' advantage in MaxPreps' Kansas football rankings (they are ranked 23rd, while the Vikings are ranked 177th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Rock Creek found their leader in sophomore Tate Smith, who threw for 227 yards and four touchdowns on only 13 passes, and also punched in a pair of scores on the ground. Smith has been hot recently, having posted four or more passing touchdowns the last four times he's played. Rock Creek's leading receiver Peter Martinie was Smith's top target yet again, picking up 83 receiving yards and two TDs.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Rock Creek proved: they limited Smoky Valley to a paltry 2.5 yards per carry. The team can thank Ezra Spiller for the heroic effort on defense: he. Rock Creek hasn't allowed more than 6.1 yards per carry in three consecutive games.
Hesston's record now sits at 6-3. As for Rock Creek, their record is now 9-0.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Hesston has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 177.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Rock Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 221.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Hesston couldn't quite get it done against Rock Creek in their previous meeting back in November of 2022 as they fell 21-11. Can the Swathers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
