The Sharon Tigers will face off against the Hickory Hornets at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a five-game winning streak alive.
Sharon is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup two weeks ago. They claimed a resounding 52-0 victory over Conneaut Area. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won six matchups by 21 points or more so far this season.
Sharon didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The team can thank two different players for their defensive prowess: Ghafir Lampkins and Rakeem Hughes, who each picked up one interception apiece. Stone Root was another major factor on D, forcing one fumble and making eight total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Special teams played a big role in the game for Sharon, adding 16 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Hughes, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Hickory didn't have too much trouble with Fort LeBoeuf on Friday as they won 34-17. With that win, the Hornets brought their scoring average up to 26.4 points per game.
Sharon better focus on containing Kelvin Morrison and Christian Dungee as the pair were huge in Hickory's win. Morrison rushed for 97 yards and three scores, while Dungee rushed for 120 yards and one TD on only nine carries. Morrison has been hot, having posted two or more rushing touchdowns the last seven times he's played.
Hickory was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 217 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 201 rushing yards in five consecutive contests.
Hickory's victory bumped their record up to 10-1. As for Sharon, their win bumped their record up to 7-3.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Sharon has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 185.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Hickory struggles in that department as they've been averaging 238.7 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Sharon couldn't quite finish off Hickory in their previous matchup back in September and fell 21-19. Can the Tigers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
