(Atlantic) The stage is set for a thrilling showdown as the 9th-ranked Atlantic Trojans hit the road to face #10 Carroll in the regular season finale, with the district championship on the line. Atlantic (6-2) comes into the matchup riding the momentum of a dramatic 35-30 comeback win over Harlan, while Carroll (5-3) is fresh off a dominant 63-7 victory over Perry. Both teams are undefeated in district play at 4-0, setting up a winner-takes-all battle for the crown.
Atlantic Head Coach Joe Brummer says the players put in a lot of work in the off-season to get to this point.
Atlantic has shown real resilience this season, coming from behind in several games with some late-game heroics. They sealed a win over Creston with a game-winning touchdown pass and pulled off an electrifying 85-yard kickoff return against Harlan. Coach Brummer credits the senior leadership for a lot of the team’s success.
The Trojans will need to perform at a high level Friday night as they take on a tough Carroll football team. The matchup features two of Class 3A’s top running backs. Atlantic’s Ethan McNeal ranks second in rushing with 1,200 yards, while Carroll’s lead back sits fourth with 1,131 yards.
Coach Brummer has taken notice of Carroll’s stingy defense, which has allowed just seven points over the last three games. He says the Trojans will need to generate explosive plays in order to find success.
Heading into the matchup, Atlantic holds a slight edge in rushing yards with 2,005 compared to Carroll’s 1,974. Through the air, the Tigers have the advantage, throwing for 724 yards to the Trojans’ 535.
Key players on defense for the Trojans are Jake Wailes with 60 tackles to date, Colin Rudy, 42, Carter Hadley, Jack Muller, 25.5 tackles, and Brock Goodrich, who had a huge sack at the end of the Harlan game, coming in with 24, including 6.5 sacks and six tackles for loss.
Carroll middle linebacker Quentin Polking leads the Tigers defensively with 53.5 tackles, with 6.5 tackles for loss.
The kick-off is set for around 7:15 p.m. The pre-game show starts at 6:15 p.m. We will broadcast on KS 95.7 FM and live-stream on westerniowatoday.com TV and YouTube.
