HOWARD — Throw the records out the window.
It’s rivalry week in Knox County as East Knox welcomes Danville to Chet Looney Stadium for the annual Devil-Dog Game and Fredericktown heads to Centerburg to play for the Freddie-Burg Trophy.
As rivalries go, the Centerburg-Fredericktown matchup has been more even recently. Since 2000, Centerburg owns a 13-12 advantage. That includes a playoff win in 2014 after Fredericktown won the regular season game that year.
The Freddies won five straight in the series from 2006 to 2010. The Trojans won five in a row from 2016 to 2020.
The Freddie-Burg Trophy was introduced in 2021 to spice up the already fierce rivalry. Fredericktown won the trophy that first year and won last year’s meeting 32-14.
Danville has had the better of East Knox since the turn of the millennia. The Blue Devils own a 19-5 advantage since then and won 12 straight from 2006 to 2017. East Knox won four in a row from 2018 to 2021.
The Blue Devils have won the past two meetings, including last year’s 14-12 thriller in the mud at Tough Street Stadium. It was just the second OT game in the series and first since Danville’s 3-0 victory in sloppy conditions in 2006.
Here’s a closer look at the rivalry games:
Danville (7-2, 5-1) at East Knox (4-5, 3-3)
The Blue Devils are headed to the playoffs for the fifth straight year regardless of what happens Friday night. Danville has won four in a row, including last week’s 31-14 victory over Fredericktown. The Blue Devils overcame a 14-7 halftime deficit thanks largely to freshman running back and receiver Cyren Wallace, who rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Quarterback Jacob Hackman added 124 rushing yards and two scores on eight carries. Rugged running back Aidan Burke leads the Blue Devils with 970 yards and seven TDs on 148 carries. Hackman has completed 56-of-94 passes for 615 yards and three touchdowns. Josh Byers leads the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference with 141 tackles after making 15 stops last week. Chris Mosher had 17 tackles against the Freddies. Burke and Carson Proper each have four interceptions while Wesley Payne and Levi Furay have three picks apiece.
The Bulldogs have dropped three in a row after last week’s 40-6 loss at Centerburg and desperately need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. East Knox is 18th in Region 18 of Division V. East Knox boasts arguably the top two-way player in the KMAC in running back and linebacker Blake Elliott. The physical 6-foot, 210-pound senior has rushed for 1,222 yards and nine touchdowns on a conference-high 206 carries and ranks second in the KMAC with 129 tackles. Quarterback Jaxon Lester has thrown for 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 95-of-170 passes. Dakota Cooper has 28 catches for 273 yards and two touchdowns while Logan Clark has 16 catches for 287 yards and and two TDs. Senior linebacker Parker Kimball ranks among conference leaders with 116 tackles.
Fredericktown (5-4, 4-2) at Centerburg (6-3, 4-2)
The Freddies need a win to secure a fifth straight playoff berth. Fredericktown boasts the top total offense in the KMAC, averaging 353.2 yards per game. Dual-threat quarterback Blake Sipes is the conference’s second-leading rusher with 1,252 yards and 15 touchdowns on 163 carries. Sipes has completed 62-of-111 passes for 968 yards and seven TDs. Elijah Roush has rushed for 565 yards and three TDs on 126 carries. Brode Davis has 26 receptions for 328 yards and a touchdown, while Gavin Toombs has 17 catches for 271 yards and four TDs and has rushed for 229 yards and two scores on just 20 carries. Cirk Parker leads the defense with 89 tackles, while Roush has 80.5 stops.
The Trojans are headed to the postseason, having clinched a spot in Region 23 of Division VI after last week’s 40-6 win over East Knox. Centerburg ranks second in the KMAC in total offense (349.2 ypg) and scoring offense (30.3 ppg) behind the play of quarterback Blane Ball. The junior has completed 98-of-151 passes for 1,369 yards and 15 touchdowns. Sophomore running back Miles Marshall has rushed for 944 yards and 15 touchdowns on just 100 carries. Wideout Trevin Harris has a team-high 25 receptions for 335 yards and four touchdowns. Chris Marshall has 22 grabs for 318 yards and four TDs and leads the defense with 82 tackles. Harris has three interceptions to go with 32.5 tackles.