The Hanover Hornets will head out on the road to square off against the Bethune Bobcats at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Hanover has four straight wins, Bethune has three straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Last Friday, Hanover took their matchup at home with ease, bagging a 68-12 victory over Kiowa. The result was nothing new for the Hornets, who have now won five contests by 47 points or more so far this season.
It was another big night for Junior Diaz, who rushed for 181 yards and four touchdowns on only 12 carries. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 110.2 rushing yards per game. JJ Aguilar got in on the action as well, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Hanover was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 241 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 150 rushing yards in four consecutive matches.
Hanover didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Aguilar and David Byers.
Meanwhile, a win for Bethune just wasn't in the cards two weeks ago as the squad wasn't able to take the lead at any point. They lost 42-19 to Flagler. The Bobcats gained 149 more yards on the day, but it was the Panthers that made the best use of them.
Despite their defeat, Bethune saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Ismael Perla, who rushed for 111 yards on only six carries, and also caught a touchdown, was perhaps the best of all. Wyatt King also helped out as he racked up 134 rushing yards.
Bethune wouldn't let Flagler keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force three fumbles. Johnny Gitschlag was the leader in that area as all came courtesy of his dominant performance.
Hanover's victory bumped their record up to 5-1. As for Bethune, their loss dropped their record down to 1-3.
Saturday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Hanover has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 206.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Bethune struggles in that department as they've been averaging 247.5. It's looking like Saturday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Hanover against Bethune when the teams last played back in September of 2023, as the team secured a 67-14 win. Will Hanover repeat their success, or does Bethune have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
