East Rowan hasn't had much luck against West Rowan recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Mustangs will look to defend their home field against the Falcons at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
East Rowan took a 57-point defeat the last time they faced off against Salisbury, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Mustangs narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Hornets 27-24. The Mustangs' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
East Rowan got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Jason Bonds out in front who picked up 164 receiving yards and three TDs. Bonds showed off some serious burst, cutting upfield on a catch for 53 yards. Another passer making a difference was Julian Cauble, who threw for 194 yards and three touchdowns.
West Rowan not only won on Friday, but they posted their biggest win since November 1, 2024 (when they won 56-6). They breezed past South Rowan to the tune of 48-6. The Falcons haven't had any issues with the Raiders recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive win against them.
West Rowan found their leader in sophomore Devaunh White, who rushed for 188 yards and one score, and also picked up 55 receiving yards and one TD. The Falcons are 2-1 when White posts 80 or more rushing yards, but 1-2 otherwise.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something West Rowan proved: they limited South Rowan to a paltry two yards per carry. The team can thank Kaden Sanders for the heroic effort on defense: he. West Rowan didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 6.4.
West Rowan's defense didn't let the opposing QB, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Bryson Ellis, Lucas Watts, and Trenton Freeman, who each picked up one sack apiece. West Rowan got some further help from Sanders: he forced one fumble and made 14 total tackles (2.0 for loss).
East Rowan's victory was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 3-3. As for West Rowan, the win got them back to even at 3-3.
East Rowan took a serious blow against West Rowan in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, falling 56-6. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Mustangs were down 42-0.
