Two dominant backs in Thomas Settje and Braxen Eichelberger are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Scotus Shamrocks will head out on the road to take on the O'Neill Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Scotus has given up an average of 28.1 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Scotus is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 76 points two weeks ago, they were much more limited against Lakeview on Friday. They had to suffer through a 35-3 loss at the hands of the Vikings. The contest marked the Shamrocks' lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Meanwhile, O'Neill strolled into their game on Friday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They really took it to Schuyler for the full four quarters, racking up a 70-0 win. That looming 70-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Eagles yet this season.
O'Neill's win came from a few key players Scotus will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Grady Welke, who rushed for 64 yards and a pair of TDs. The bulk of those rushing yards came from one huge play: a run that gained an incredible 54 yards. Another player making a difference was Kaiden Martinez, who rushed for 72 yards and one touchdown.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something O'Neill proved: they limited Schuyler to a paltry 2.2 yards per carry. The team can thank Colten Shoemaker for the heroic effort on defense: he. O'Neill didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 11.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for O'Neill, racking up 16 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Eichelberger, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Scotus' defeat was their third straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 2-5. As for O'Neill, their record now sits at 7-0.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Scotus has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 172.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like O'Neill struggles in that department as they've been averaging 305.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Scotus lost to O'Neill on the road by a decisive 32-13 margin in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Thankfully for the Shamrocks, Brady Eichelberger (who rushed for 160 yards and three scores) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
