Wheeler is 0-5 against Walton since September of 2014 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Wheeler Wildcats will be playing in front of their home fans against the Walton Raiders at 7:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Last Friday, Wheeler beat Kennesaw Mountain 36-29. Given Wheeler's advantage in MaxPreps' Georgia football rankings (they are ranked 70th, while Kennesaw Mountain is ranked 202nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Wheeler's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Josiah Allen, who rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 8.0 yards per carry, and also threw for 34 yards and a touchdown while completing 100% of his passes. Another player making a difference was Marcus Romain, who rushed for 120 yards on only nine carries.
Meanwhile, Walton put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Osborne, posting a 35-0 win at home. The result was nothing new for Walton, who have now won eight matchups by 20 points or more so far this season.
Walton's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Hunter Teal led the charge by picking up 117 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Teal was no stranger to the big play, connecting with a big catch that went for 60 yards. Makari Bodiford was another key contributor, rushing for 61 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries.
Wheeler's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which bumped their overall record up to 7-2. That said, the team wasn't facing the toughest opposition over that stretch, as it included 1-8 Kennesaw Mountain and 1-8 Cherokee (their opponents had an average overall winning percentage of 33.3% over those games). As for Walton, their win bumped their record up to 9-0.
Wheeler took a serious blow against Walton in their previous matchup back in November of 2022, falling 49-10. Will Wheeler have more luck at home instead of on the road?
