Parry McCluer (6-2) at Bath County (4-4) WHEN: 7 p.m. on Friday WHERE: Carl F. Williams Field in Hot Springs. Tickets are $7.
LAST YEAR: T he B lues broke open a close game with two fourth-quarter touchdowns from Jacob Shafer to slip past the Chargers, 28-12, in Buena Vista. PM dominated statistically, piling up more than 300 yards rushing, led by running backs Shafer (20 carries, 116 yards) and Parker Snider (14104). However, the Blues could not put the visitors away until late in the game. Bath County was led by quarterback Hunter Kirby, who accounted for 163 of the Chargers’ 169 total yards.
SCOUTING THE CHARGERS: It has been a tale of two seasons for Bath County. The Chargers won three of their first four games but lost three of the last four, including a surprising 21-7 setback to Pioneer Districtleading Craig County, which was averaging over 50 points per game, last Friday night. The lone victory during the second-half stretch was a 14-8 win over Eastern Montgomery on Oct. 15. Senior running back Walker Randozzo ran for a TD in that contest, while sophomore quarterback Cade Perdue threw for one. They will be the main offensive weapons as the Chargers deploy their wing-T offense against the Blues on Friday, with receiver Ike Phillips working from one of the wing spots as the top receiving target.
SCOUTINGTHEBLUES: The Blues return to the field on Friday night after the bye week. PM needed that time off to lick its wounds after taking one on the chin, 45-13, at Craig County on Oct. 16. The Blues never got untracked offensively in that contest. Snider finished with more than 100 yards rushing and scored a pair of TDs but leading rusher Brody Coleman was held to just 13 yards as the Blues suffered their first district loss of the year. Defensively, the Blues proved vulnerable up the middle in that game, surrendering more than 300 yards rushing to Craig County fullback Noah Paxton.
THENEWS-GAZETTE’S PICK: The final two games of the season are going to be pivotal in determining positioning in the upcoming Region 1C playoffs. Entering this weekend’s slate of games, the Blues are currently tied with two other teams, Auburn and Grayson County, with identical 6-2 records, so the Blues could do themselves a huge favor with a win this Friday night. Having had time to regroup, PM will do just that, holding off the Chargers, 28-13.
