Bath County (4-3) at Parry McCluer (4-4)
WHEN: 7 p.m. on Friday WHERE: Bobby Williams Field in Buena Vista. Tickets are $7.
LAST YEAR: Bath County piled up 535 yards of total offense and rolled past the Blues, 63-6, last season in Hot Springs. Though Jacob Shafer did catch four passes for 122 yards, PM’s leading rusher was held to negative yardage on the ground, and the Blues managed only 46 rushing yards in the contest. To make matters more difficult, PM was a combined 0-for-11 on third- and fourth-down conversions in the game. PM’s only score came on a 10-yard TD reception by Jonovan Dunn, but by that time the Blues had already surrendered 42 points and never really threatened in the game.
SCOUTINGTHECHARGERS: One thing has become abundantly clear this season: senior running back Ethan Bryant is the player that makes the Chargers go. He enters this Friday’s game as the clear offensive leader, leading Bath County in most offensive categories. Included among his gaudy numbers is his performance in Bath’s 37-18 win over Eastern Montgomery on Oct. 16, in which he rushed for 191 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He isn’t alone, however, as quarterback Hunter Kirby, also a senior, passed for three touchdowns in that victory. Bath is coming off a 28-0 loss to Craig County, just the second time this season the Chargers have been held scoreless. Defensively, Bath is not as strong as it has been in recent memory, allowing 37 points per game in its three losses.
SCOUTINGTHEBLUES: PM enters this key contest, its last home game of the regular season, looking to at least maintain playoff position after the bye week. The Blues, who were without four starters, including leading rushers and tacklers Parker Snider and Jacob Shafer in a 33-6 loss to Craig County two weeks ago, spent that week preparing for Bath County but mostly trying to get healthy and learning how to protect the football. PM has lost three of its last four games, partially because of an inability to take care of the football, a problem that has plagued the Blues all year. PM has 15 turnovers in the last five games. When the Blues take care of the ball, they move it effectively, but too many drives have been halted when they give the ball away, leaving lots of points on the field.
THE NEWS-GAZETTE’S PICK: Friday’s game will mark the 55th meeting between PM and Bath County, with the Blues holding a 33-21 edge in the series. Bath has won the last two by a combined score of 116-6, and though Bryant is tough on any defense, the Chargers do not carry that kind of firepower this season. If the Blues can shut him down (and the hopeful return of Snider and Shafer at linebackers will go a long way to determining that), they can snap their two-game losing streak. At the same time, however, PM cannot turn the ball over; that’s a sure recipe for another loss. But we think the Blues will have figured things out during the off week and will pick up their first Pioneer District win of the season, 27-20.
