Two dominant backs in Matthew McKitrick and Wes Parker are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Western Panthers will venture away from home to face off against the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Western will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
Western will bounce into Friday's game after beating West Lafayette, who they had gone 0-8 against in their eight prior meetings. The Panthers strolled past the Red Devils with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 34-20. The score was all tied up 13-13 at the break, but the Panthers were the (much) better team in the second half.
Levi Shoemaker
| 09/26/25 @ West Lafayette | 156 |
| 09/19/25 vs Hamilton Heights | 147 |
| 09/12/25 vs Tipton | 74 |
| 09/05/25 vs Indianapolis Lutheran | 127 |
| 08/29/25 @ North Montgomery | 80 |
| + 1 more games |
Levi Shoemaker had another great game (as he tends to do), rushing for 156 yards and one score, while also throwing for 54 yards and one touchdown. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 107 rushing yards per game.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Western was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 305 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 162 rushing yards in eight consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Tippecanoe Valley got themselves on the board against Jimtown on Friday, but Jimtown never followed suit. They claimed a resounding 33-0 victory over the Jimmies. That 33 point margin sets a new team best for the Vikings this season.
Western's record now sits at 5-1. As for Tippecanoe Valley, their record is now 4-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Western has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 334.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Tippecanoe Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 277.7 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Western ended up a good deal behind Tippecanoe Valley when the teams last played back in October of 2024, losing 31-14. Thankfully for the Panthers, Brock Derf (who rushed for 118 yards and three TDs on only 12 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.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
