Friday the Bellwood-Antis Blue Devils will suit up against the Huntington Bearcats at Memorial Stadium on Youth Night.
The Devils are red-hot and riding a two game winning streak. Both previous games were huge for Bellwood with the Devils topping Penns Valley 51-12 before defeating Westmont Hilltop 20-10. This is a massive step-up from last year, already tying their win count.
Some would consider this upcoming game a plot for revenge for the Devils, after losing to the Bearcats last year 41-16. Considering that both schools had records of 2-8 last season, this was not a good look.
Senior Griffin Kyle said the score from last year provides the team with motivation. “Yes, it gives us a reason to play with a chip on our shoulder. Remembering what they did to us last year will make us play harder,” he explained.
Bellwood-Antis has some key components to keep in mind hoping to keep the win-streak alive. Senior Quarterback Holden Schreier said, “We need to play the way that we’ve been playing. Everyone should make good decisions and play with passion.”
Overall, the Bearcats could be outmatched against the Blue Devils offensive line. They have thrown for a total of 170 yards, compared to Bellwood-Antis’ 198, which may not seem bad, but the ground is where Huntington seems to struggle. The ‘Cats have run for a total of 215 yards, while Bellwood-Antis has rushed for 550.
Colin Gibbons leads the team with 187 yards on the ground, but Bradyn Partner isn’t far behind with 123.
B-A coach Nick Lovrich emphasized his team’s need to remain dialed in.
“We have to make sure to stay focused,” Coach Lovrich said. “The guys have been good at trying to limit mistakes. The goal is to maintain our quality of play, especially blocking and tackling.”
The Devils have more than enough assets to win and keep the ball rolling.
