The Oakwood Comets will head out on the road to face off against Hoopeston/Armstrong at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Oakwood has given up an average of 29 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Oakwood is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Westville on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Comets were beaten by the Tigers 63-28. The Comets were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 56-14.
Despite the loss, Oakwood had strong showings from Alex Wallace, who threw for 149 yards and three touchdowns, and Frankie Resendez, who rushed for 70 yards and one score. Resendez's longest rush was for an incredible 70 yards.
Meanwhile, Hoopeston/Armstrong was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They were five points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 27-22 heartbreaker at the hands of Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman.
Oakwood will have to contain Nicholas Cardenas as he made an impact in Hoopeston/Armstrong's last game. He rushed for 95 yards and one TD, and also threw for 30 yards and one touchdown.
Don't try to pin the team's loss on the defense: they kept the trenches locked down and allowed a mere 3.2 yards per carry. The team can thank RaSiah Jones for the heroic effort on defense: he. Hoopeston/Armstrong's ground attack was stronger, having averaged 4.8.
Oakwood suffered their first home loss, dropping their record down to 3-2. As for Hoopeston/Armstrong, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-5.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's matchup: Oakwood has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 366 total yards per game. It's a different story for Hoopeston/Armstrong, though, as they've been averaging an even more impressive 206.4 total yards. Will Oakwood be able to march up the field at their leisure again, or will Hoopeston/Armstrong flip the script?
Everything came up roses for Oakwood against Hoopeston/Armstrong when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 54-16 victory. In that contest, the Comets amassed a halftime lead of 54-8, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
