The Souderton Indians will head out to challenge the Cheltenham Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams might be coming in a bit winded given these two teams combined for 877 yards in their previous games.
Things were looking good for Souderton after they put the first points on the board on Friday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They and Quakertown were almost perfectly matched up, but Souderton suffered a 35-34 defeat. The Indians gained 52 more yards on the day, but it was the Panthers that made the best use of them.
Despite their loss, Souderton saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Michael McCormick, who rushed for 77 yards and two touchdowns, was perhaps the best of all. Souderton also got help from Hunter Smeltz, who showed off his sure hands for 160 receiving yards.
Even though they lost, Souderton was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 222 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in October of 2023.
Souderton's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Kadir Fisher and Noah Porter. Porter also set a new season high mark in total tackles with six.
Meanwhile, Cheltenham had to endure a five-game losing streak dating back to last season, but that streak is no more. They enjoyed a cozy 31-14 victory over Bensalem on Friday. The Panthers' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Jared Higginbotham was nothing short of spectacular: he rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown on only nine carries. His longest rush was for an impressive 65 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Kendall Jackson was another key player, throwing for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
Souderton's defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 2-3. As for Cheltenham, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-4.
Souderton strolled past Cheltenham in their previous matchup back in October of 2021 by a score of 42-27. Does Souderton have another victory up their sleeve, or will Cheltenham turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
