The Southwest Roughriders will square off against the Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Southwest barely beat Wauneta-Palisade the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Roughriders blew past the Broncos 55-12 on Friday. The victory was just business as usual for the Roughriders, who after six games remain undefeated this season.
Houston Billeter continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, throwing for 130 yards and three touchdowns on only ten passes, while also rushing for 63 yards and one TD. He also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making eight total tackles and defending one pass in addition to snagging an interception which he returned one-yard for a touchdown. Southwest's leading receiver Deric Kelley was Billeter's top target yet again, picking up 88 receiving yards and one score.
Southwest didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Billeter and Kelley. Billeter got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Sumner-Eddyville-Miller took their matchup on Friday with ease, bagging a 54-13 win over Paxton. The victory continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the Tigers: they've now won four in a row.
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller's win came from a few key players Southwest will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jordan Scoville, who rushed for 37 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also caught one TD. He has been hot recently, having also posted two or more rushing touchdowns the last four times he's played. Another player making a difference was Isaac O'Neill, who rushed for 90 yards and one score on only nine carries.
Southwest's win bumped their record up to 6-0. As for Sumner-Eddyville-Miller, their victory bumped their record up to 5-1.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Southwest has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 156.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Sumner-Eddyville-Miller struggles in that department as they've been averaging 191 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Southwest took a serious blow against Sumner-Eddyville-Miller when the teams last played back in October of 2024, falling 56-22. Thankfully for the Roughriders, Maddox Jones (who rushed for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only seven carries) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
