Tri County and Thayer Central are an even 4-4 against one another since October of 2015, but not for long. The Trojans are taking a road trip to face off against the Titans at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Tri County has given up an average of 36.2 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Tri County is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Exeter-Milligan/Friend on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Trojans were dealt a 60-22 loss at the hands of the Bobcats. The defeat continues a trend for the Trojans in their meetings with the Bobcats: they've now lost three in a row.
Garrett Smidt
| 09/26/25 vs Southern | 3 |
| 09/12/25 vs Centennial | 3 |
| 10/03/25 @ Exeter-Milligan/Friend | 2 |
| 09/05/25 vs Freeman | 1 |
Tri County might have lost, but man, Garrett Smidt was a machine: he rushed for 127 yards and a pair of TDs on only 13 carries. Smidt also punched in two rushing touchdowns, which is notable because the Trojans are 2-1 when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns, but 0-3 otherwise.
Meanwhile, Thayer Central never let their opponents score on Friday. They claimed a resounding 59-0 victory over Southern. The result was nothing new for the Titans, who have now won four contests by 20 points or more so far this season.
Thayer Central's win came from a few key players Tri County will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Laken Wiedel, who rushed for 68 yards and one score, and also threw for 43 yards and one touchdown. He was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 53 yards. Blake Gunn was another key player, gaining 73 total yards and two touchdowns.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Thayer Central proved: they limited Southern to a paltry 2.1 yards per carry. While four picked up at least three total tackles, Gunn stood above the rest. He picked up 43 receiving yards and one TD, and also rushed for 30 yards and one score. Thayer Central didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 11.3.
Thayer Central pushed their record up to 5-1 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.8 points over those games. As for Tri County, their loss dropped their record down to 2-4.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Tri County has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 210 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Thayer Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 256.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Tri County was taken down by Thayer Central 60-18 when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Thankfully for the Trojans, Sam Souerdyke (who rushed for 209 yards and four touchdowns on only 14 carries) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
