Two dominant signal callers in Dane Palmer and Chase Hemeyer are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Northwest Mustangs will face off against the Slater Wildcats on Friday. Northwest knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 31 points or more in their past four games -- so hopefully Slater likes a good challenge.
Northwest is probably headed into the match with a chip on their shoulder considering Norborne/Hardin-Central just ended the team's three-game winning streak two weeks ago. They took a 48-42 hit to the loss column at the hands of Norborne/Hardin-Central. The loss continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the : they've now lost six in a row.
Despite the defeat, Northwest got top-tier performance from Nathan Boss, who rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries. Boss is becoming a predictor of Northwest's success: when he posts at least 100 rushing yards the team is 5-1 (and 1-2 when he doesn't). Troy Phillips was in the mix too, providing Northwest with two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, with a playoff game on the line, Slater rose to the challenge on Friday. They never let the Tigers onto the board and left with an 86-0 win. That looming 86-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Wildcats yet this season.
Slater got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Hemeyer out in front who rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown, and also threw for 93 yards and three touchdowns while completing 77.8% of his passes. Brandon Terrill was another key player, picking up 82 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Slater's defense and their seven sacks. Keiton Head was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up four himself. Another thorn in Keytesville's side was Quincee Perry, who picked up a sack and made 15 total tackles (3.0 for loss) in addition to snagging two interceptions.
Northwest's loss dropped their record down to 6-3. As for Slater, their record now sits at 6-4.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Northwest has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 280 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Slater struggles in that department as they've been averaging 172.6. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Northwest beat Slater 42-32 in their previous matchup back in October. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Hemeyer, who rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns, and also threw for 136 yards and a touchdown. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Northwest still be able to contain Hemeyer? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
