The Bluffton Tigers will square off against the Churubusco Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Bluffton's defense heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They claimed a resounding 55-0 win over Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. Given the Tigers' advantage in MaxPreps' Indiana football rankings (they are ranked 66th, while the Braves are ranked 283rd) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Khamel Moore and Cooper Craig. Moore rushed for 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns while Craig rushed for 58 yards and two scores. Moore showed off some serious burst, turning on the afterburners on one carry for 53 yards. Aaron Streveler also deserves a mention for his punt return touchdown.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Bluffton proved: they limited Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian to a paltry 3.2 yards per carry. The team can thank Jake Boots for the heroic effort on defense: he. Bluffton didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 10.4.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Bluffton, racking up 11 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Streveler, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Churubusco came tearing into Friday's contest with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 22.8 points), and they left with even more momentum. They took their matchup with ease, bagging a 27-0 victory over the Falcons. The game was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point the Eagles had established a 20-point advantage.
Bluffton better keep an eye on Brody Lawrence. He was instrumental in Churubusco's win, throwing for 140 yards and a pair of TDs. Those 140 passing yards gave Lawrence a new career-high.
Churubusco didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Blane Wilson and Bryce Lawrence.
Bluffton's record now sits at 8-1. As for Churubusco, their record is now 7-2.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Bluffton has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 205.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Churubusco struggles in that department as they've been averaging 217.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
