The Roxana Shells will head out on the road to take on the Columbia Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Roxana's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points every time they've taken the field this season.
Last Friday, Roxana was fully in charge, breezing past Civic Memorial 51-12 at home. Given the Shells' advantage in MaxPreps' Illinois football rankings (they are ranked 133rd, while the Eagles are ranked 345th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Roxana was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 286 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 243 rushing yards in 16 consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Roxana's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. Zebediah Katzmarek picked up that interception and then proceeded to rub salt in the wound by taking it back the other way for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Columbia earned a 35-27 win over Taylorville on Friday.
Roxana now has a winning record of 2-1. As for Columbia, they now also have a winning record of 2-1.
Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. Roxana has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 318.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Columbia struggles in that department as they've been averaging 213.3. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Roxana against Columbia in their previous matchup back in September of 2023 as the squad secured a 37-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Roxana since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
