Two dominant backs in Rory Dixon and Niko Carestia are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. Marian Catholic will welcome the Schuylkill Haven Hurricanes at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Marian Catholic's defense has only allowed 14.5 points per game this season, so Schuylkill Haven's offense will have their work cut out for them.
Marian Catholic will bounce into Friday's match after beating Minersville, who they hadn't topped in nine consecutive meetings. Marian Catholic snuck past Minersville with a 20-14 victory on Friday.
Marian Catholic found their leader in underclassman Dixon, who rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Dixon also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making five total tackles and defending a pass.
Meanwhile, Schuylkill Haven had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 51.3 points) and they went ahead and made it five on Friday. They walked away with a 38-30 win over the Vikings.
Carestia was his usual excellent self, rushing for 333 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 8.1 yards per carry. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 74-yard run.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Schuylkill Haven was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 384 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 384 rushing yards in five consecutive games.
Marian Catholic is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 4-2 record this season. As for Schuylkill Haven, they pushed their record up to 5-1 with the victory, which was their third straight at home.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Marian Catholic has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 193.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Schuylkill Haven struggles in that department as they've been averaging 414.3. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Marian Catholic against Schuylkill Haven in their previous meeting back in August of 2023, as the squad secured a 27-0 win. Will Marian Catholic repeat their success, or does Schuylkill Haven have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
