Two dominant signal callers in Kelden Ryan and Jack Emerson are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The DeSoto Eagles will square off against the Willis Wildkats at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as DeSoto comes in on six and Willis on 12.
DeSoto is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They breezed by Wylie East to the tune of 51-17. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine contests by 32 points or more this season.
It was another big night for Deondrae Riden Jr., who rushed for 300 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 9.4 yards per carry. Those 300 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. Ryan was another key player, rushing for 30 yards and a touchdown.
DeSoto was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 430 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 181 rushing yards in 27 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
DeSoto didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Jordan Stevens and Ryan Pelly. Keylan Abrams was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making seven total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Willis hadn't done well against Tomball recently (they were 1-6 in their previous seven matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Willis secured a 28-24 W over Tomball. The 28-point effort marked the Wildkats' lowest-scoring game of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Emerson was his usual excellent self, throwing for 283 yards and three touchdowns while completing 73.5% of his passes, and also rushing for 87 yards on only seven carries. He is on a roll when it comes to passing touchdowns, as he's now passed for three or more in the last ten games he's played.
Willis' victory bumped their record up to 12-0. As for DeSoto, their win bumped their record up to 10-2.
The upcoming match will be a clash of competing strengths. DeSoto has deployed a run-first offense that has averaged 307.5 rushing yards a game. Meanwhile, Willis has preferred to attack from the air: they average 321.1 passing yards per game. So which strategy will prevail on Saturday? There's only one way to find out.
Everything came up roses for DeSoto against Willis when the teams last played back in November of 2023, as the squad secured a 65-31 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Willis' Derek Lagway, who threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown on only 15 carries. Now that he won't be playing on Saturday, will it be easier for DeSoto to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
