Two dominant backs in Elliot Baldini and Matthew McKitrick are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Logansport Berries will challenge the Western Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Logansport will be strutting in after a win while Western will be coming in after a defeat.
On Friday, Logansport needed a bit of extra time to put away West Lafayette. They won a contest that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by the Red Devils 44-43. Things were looking grim for the Berries in the first quarter (they were down by 20) but they stormed back to get the game.
The match pitted two dominant backs against one another in Baldini and Kojo Steffey. Baldini had a solid game and gained 147 total yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Steffey was balling out in the loss, rushing for 159 yards and one touchdown while picking up 8.4 yards per carry.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Logansport's defensive line and their four sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece. They received some extra help from Greyson Cottrell, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Logansport, adding 12 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Karsen Jackson, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 34 points the game before, Western was a bit more limited in their matchup on Friday. They were dealt a 38-7 loss at the hands of Tippecanoe Valley. The Panthers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 28-0.
Logansport pushed their record up to 6-1 with the victory, which was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season. The team dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 34.6 points. As for Western, the defeat snapped their winning streak at five games and leaves them with a 5-2 record.
Everything came up roses for Logansport against Western in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 42-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Berries since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
