Valparaiso extended their losing streak to four on Friday, dropping them down to 1-6. They were outmatched by the Merrillville Pirates and fell 48-21. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since September 30, 2022, but that streak is no more.
When it comes to explaining why Valparaiso lost, don't look at Gage Finlay. Despite the final result, he rushed for 139 yards and one touchdown, and also picked up 33 receiving yards and one score.
As for Merrillville, the victory was the fourth in a row for them, bringing their record up to 5-2. Those wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 12.8 points on average over those games.
It was another big night for Michael Hill Jr, who rushed for 241 yards and a pair of TDs on only 12 carries, and also threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns while completing 73% of his passes. Those 241 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. Mikel Smoot was in the mix too, providing Merrillville with two scores.
We've got plenty of inter-conference action coming up soon. Valparaiso is set to take on their familiar foe Portage at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, Merrillville will challenge rival Lake Central at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
