DANVILLE — The Blue Devils are an opponent’s worst nightmare at Tough Street Stadium.
Danville will look to extend its home winning streak to 15 games when Fredericktown comes to town Friday night.
Danville’s last home loss came on Oct. 7, 2022 when Centerburg visited Tough Street and escaped with a 16-11 victory. The Blue Devils are 17-1 at home since the start of the 2022 season.
Here’s a look at Week 9’s marquee matchups:
Fredericktown (5-3, 4-1) at Danville (6-2, 4-1)
The Freddies blanked East Knox 31-0 on Senior Night last week in a game that was closer than the final score suggested. The Freddies scored a pair of defensive touchdowns and aded an 84-yard touchdown run by quarterback Blake Sipes. Fredericktown has the top rushing offense in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference, averaging 255.6 yards per game. Sipes ranks third in the KMAC with 1,126 rushing yards and a league-leading 14 rushing touchdowns on 138 carries. He has completed 51-of-93 passes for 799 yards and six touchdowns. Brode Davis has a team-high 26 receptions for 328 yards and a touchdown, while Gavin Toombs has 13 catches for 193 yards and three scores. Elijah Roush has rushed for 542 yards and three TDs on 113 carries and ranks among KMAC leaders with 75 tackles. Cirk Parker has made a team-high 82 stops.
Danville boasts the KMAC’s top run defense, allowing just 94.3 yards per game. Josh Byers leads the conference with 126 tackles, while Greg Wilson and Caleb Lucas each have 14 tackles for loss. Lucas has 86 tackles, while Blake Colopy has 74 stops. Danville has a conference-high 14 interceptions. Aidan Burke is tied for the league lead with four, while Wesley Payne, Carson Proper and Levi Furay have three each. Offensively, Burke has rushed for 881 yards and seven touchdowns on 134 carries. Cyren Wallace has 250 yards and five TDs on 27 carries. Quarterback Jacob Hackman has thrown for 594 yards and three touchdowns while completing 51-of-79 passes. Hackman’s top target is Payne, who has 13 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown.
East Knox (4-4, 3-2) at Centerburg (5-3, 3-2)
The Bulldogs will try to rebound from last week’s 31-0 loss at Fredericktown. Blake Elliott is one of the top two-way players in the conference. The physical senior ranks second in the KMAC with 1,155 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on a conference-high 185 carries. Elliott also ranks second in the league with 114 tackles. Quarterback Jaxon Lester leads the KMAC in completions (90) and passing attempts (150) for 954 yards and five touchdowns. Logan Clark has 16 receptions for 287 yards and two TDs, while Dakota Cooper has 28 catches for 273 yards and two scores. Defensively, Parker Kimball has 97 tackles, while Shane Gardner has 72 stops.
The Trojans couldn’t stay out of their own way in last week’s 12-0 loss at Danville, committing four turnovers. Centerburg ranks second in the KMAC in scoring offense (29.1) and third in total offense (331.0 ypg). Quarterback Blane Ball has completed 89-of-139 passes for 1,286 yards and 15 touchdowns. Trevin Harris has a team-high 22 receptions for 309 yards and four TDs, while Chris Marshall has 19 catches for 286 yards and four scores. Miles Marshall has rushed for a team-high 660 yards and 11 TDs on 82 carries and caught 18 passes for 261 yards and a score. Chris Marshall leads the defense with 68 tackles, while Teddy Stygler has 43 stops. Jackson Ballinger has 2.5 sacks.