Jasper is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Connally is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Jasper Bulldogs will take on the Connally Cadets at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky.
Two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Jasper walked away with it. They were the clear victor by a 35-12 margin over Columbia. Considering Jasper has won five matchups by more than 21 points this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Zykeelan Hadnot had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 carries. Hadnot was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 65 yards. Another player making a difference was Ja'keman Harris, who rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, everything went Connally's way against Giddings on Friday as Connally made off with a 27-6 win. Given Connally's advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 199th, while Giddings is ranked 688th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Connally's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jamarion Vincent, who rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, and also threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Kobe Black was another key contributor, picking up 113 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Their wins bumped Jasper to 7-4 and Connally to 8-3.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's contest: Jasper has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 253.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Connally struggles in that department as they've been even better at 337.7 per game. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches. Come back here after the game to get analysis of the match and other football content.
Jasper came out on top in a nail-biter against Connally when the teams last played back in November of 2021, sneaking past 23-20. Will Jasper repeat their success, or does Connally have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
