The Seward Bluejays will face off against the Crete Cardinals at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Seward is coming into the contest hot, having won their last six games.
If Seward beats Crete with 42 points on Friday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. Everything went the Bluejays' way against York on Friday as they made off with a 42-16 win. The result was nothing new for the Bluejays, who have now won three games by 26 points or more so far this season.
It was another big night for Kayson Salyer, who threw for 205 yards and three TDs while completing 77.8% of his passes, and also rushed for 43 yards. Seward's leading receiver Jack Vyhnalek was Salyer's top target yet again, picking up 82 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Seward was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 243 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 169 rushing yards in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Crete was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Friday as they fell 27-21 to Northwest. The Cardinals have struggled against the Vikings recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.
Seward will need to focus on slowing down Lyle Van Horn, one of several Crete players who made an impact when they last played. He rushed for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Peyton Steuer was another key player, picking up 146 receiving yards and one TD.
Crete's loss dropped their record down to 2-6. As for Seward, their victory bumped their record up to 6-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the trenches. Seward has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 204.1 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Crete, though, as they've been averaging only 86 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for Seward against Crete when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 43-0 win. Do the Bluejays have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cardinals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
