Jasper has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on the Bellville Brahmas at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Jasper had already proven themselves in the regular season, and didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They were the clear victor by a 28-7 margin over Cuero.
Jasper got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Zykeelan Hadnot out in front who rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on only nine carries. The team also got some help courtesy of Raja Garza-Adams, who picked up 48 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Bellville put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Silsbee 61-7 at home. Bellville's victory was all the more impressive since Silsbee was averaging only 16.54 points allowed on the season.
Bellville's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was DD Murray, who rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns on only 14 carries. Murray is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last seven games he's played. Sam Hranicky was another key contributor, rushing for 118 yards and two touchdowns on only 12 carries.
Jasper pushed their record up to 9-4 with that victory, which was their sixth straight at home. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 46.7 points per game. As for Bellville, their win bumped their record up to 13-0.
Keep an eye on the end zone in Friday's game as Jasper and Bellville haven't had much trouble getting there this season. Jasper commands a daunting offense this season, having averaged 5.2 touchdowns per game. However, it's not like Bellville struggles in that department as they've been even better at 7.7 per game. With these two high-octane teams facing off on Friday, fans should be in for an exciting offensive matchup. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
Jasper lost to Bellville on the road by a decisive 54-35 margin when the teams last played back in November of 2019. Thankfully for Jasper, Richard Reese (who rushed for 308 yards and five touchdowns while picking up 14.0 yards per carry) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.