North Central is 0-6 against North Vermillion since September of 2014 but things could change on Friday. It'll be Battle of the Birds when Thunderbirds takes on the North Vermillion Falcons at 7:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
North Central took a loss when they played away from home two weeks ago, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. Everything went their way against Eastern Greene as North Central made off with a 43-20 win.
Travaughn Cockrell was his usual excellent self, rushing for 186 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 11.6 yards per carry. Hayden Schultz was another key player, throwing for 196 yards and two touchdowns on only 16 passes.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, North Central was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 331 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Eastern Greene only rushed for 83.
Meanwhile, North Vermillion entered their tilt with Seeger on Friday with four consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with five. They took down the Patriots 37-22. The Falcons pushed the score to 37-14 by the end of the third, a deficit the Patriots cut but never quite recovered from.
North Vermillion's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Matthew Dawson, who threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns, and also rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown on only seven carries. Another player making a difference was Andrew Botner, who gained 206 total yards and a touchdown.
North Vermillion didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Bryler Bruns and Botner. Botner's rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his fifth straight game with at least 105 rushing yards dating back to last season.
North Central's victory bumped their record up to 3-6. As for North Vermillion, they pushed their record up to 8-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. North Central has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 166.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like North Vermillion struggles in that department as they've been averaging 194. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
North Central took a serious blow against North Vermillion when the teams last played back in August, falling 41-0. Will North Central have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
