Franklin and Eastwood are an even 4-4 against one another since November of 2014, but not for long. The Franklin Cougars will challenge the Eastwood Troopers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Franklin is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 28.3 points per game this season.
Last Friday, Franklin was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 46-42 to Montwood. The Cougars were up 21-6 in the third but couldn't hold on to the lead.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Ernie Powers, who rushed for 225 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 8.7 yards per carry. He was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 64 yards. Lucas Garza was in the mix too, providing Franklin with three touchdowns.
Even though they lost, Franklin was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 409 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 184 rushing yards in 12 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Franklin didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Noah Friesen and Joseuberto (JB) Bodoni-Guzman.
Meanwhile, a victory for Eastwood just wasn't in the cards on Thursday as the squad wasn't able to take the lead at any point. They came up short against Eastlake, falling 49-28.
Eastwood might have lost, but man, Jayden Martinez was a machine: he picked up 95 receiving yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown. Another player making a difference was Caleb Flores, who picked up 97 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Franklin's record is now 3-3. As for Eastwood, their record is now an identical 3-3.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Franklin has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 297.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Eastwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 219.5. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Franklin came up short against Eastwood in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, falling 38-31. Thankfully for Franklin, Evan Minjarez (who threw for 263 yards and four touchdowns, and also rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown on only 14 carries) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
