Here we are again at the end of another season, time flies when you're having fun!

Unfortunately for these two programs things haven't been great this fall, the Raiders are 5-4 after losing three in a row in district play and will be looking to send SR QB Dane Parsley away with a win in his final home game on the Smurf Turf. After a 12-1 run in the 2022 season where we saw Parsley throw for 30 TD's and run for 27 more, believe it or not, he hasn't reached those numbers in either of those categories in the last two seasons combined. One of the best players in school history but a very underwhelming end of an era to be blunt. The Wildcats will be heading up I-65 North with a 4-5 record hoping to go .500 on the regular season, if history means anything this is a series that Franklin Simpson has dominated boasting a 9-1 record against the Raiders in the last 10 meetings with the lone loss coming in 2022. 

The Raiders have seemingly got worse as we've progressed throughout the year, and it looks as though Warren East has lost some of their numbers on top of that, not a good look. I do believe we'll see a lot of Parsley on the ground in this one and why not, nothing else to save him for and he's capable of having a really big day if they just let him loose. The Wildcats offense has just been anemic all season long, Layne Alford is a tough runner, and Colin Anderson has some speed, it just hasn't clicked for them consistently and the results have shown that. However, that'll change this Friday night, and I do think they'll be able to move the ball against a Raiders defense that's letting up 202 yards on the ground and another 100 and some change in the air. The key to the game will be whether or not Franklin will be able to stifle this Raiders offense, after what I saw Logan County do last week to Warren East, I don't see why they wouldn't be able to shut it down too. The Cougars sent relentless pressure and just played one on one football on the outside, I'd say the Anderson and Lightfoot matchup will be a very fun matchup to watch and it should be a very good/physical football game. I'll go ahead and take the Wildcats on the road in this one.

FS 34 WE 27

I hope Dane Parsley can go out on a high note. Might be wishful thinking. 
 

Give me FS 42-34

FS doesn’t have a superstar player like Parsley, but I think they have more good players overall than East. If they can keep Parsley from taking over the game, I think FS will win but I don’t expect it to be by more than a touchdown. Parsley is one of my favorite non-FS players to watch. Should be a good game. 

I'll fall in line with the high scoring, one touchdown win predictions for F-S. 

One thing WE has going, is that they have the best player on the field and he'll touch the ball every play.

Parsley's career trajectory has been an interesting one. You don't often see players reach the level he did as a sophomore and then statistically regress like he has. After the 2022 season, I had him pegged as a can't miss contender for the Mr. Football watchlist. I'm sure the changes around him in the supporting cast have played a significant role.

58 minutes ago, DevilMayCare said:

I'll fall in line with the high scoring, one touchdown win predictions for F-S. 

One thing WE has going, is that they have the best player on the field and he'll touch the ball every play.

Parsley's career trajectory has been an interesting one. You don't often see players reach the level he did as a sophomore and then statistically regress like he has. After the 2022 season, I had him pegged as a can't miss contender for the Mr. Football watchlist. I'm sure the changes around him in the supporting cast have played a significant role.

I’ll throw in the coaching change as well. Couple that with mostly a complete staff overhaul after the HC change have made the results simply not there. Feel bad for him. 

1 hour ago, BillNye said:

I’ll throw in the coaching change as well. Couple that with mostly a complete staff overhaul after the HC change have made the results simply not there. Feel bad for him. 

The 2022 team was arguably the most talented team in school history, up there with the ‘06, ‘07 and ‘12 teams the Raiders had in the Bruni era. That’s the #1 thing that has stuck out the past two seasons, they simply haven’t had the guys around him. In saying that I do agree the coaching change has played a big factor as well. We just haven’t seen Coach Hall utilize the QB run the way Coach Griffith did; he played sparingly on defense if any in 2022, but he’s had to play every down for the Raiders as of late so I’d venture to say that plays a big role in the play calling. A new coach though, you live and learn, and as great of a football player #1 may be, the QB position is extremely difficult to play both ways and be who you are capable of being. No doubt he was one of the best 11 players the Raiders could’ve put out on the field on defense in 2022, but the veteran coach knew how big of a hit the offense would take if you lose the game changing ability by exhausting the young man. I know Jack James will probably win the District player of the year and rightfully so, but it would be nice to see Parsley bring it home, would be very well deserved.

FS has been down all year except against Glasgow not sure what they had going that night as they scored more points against the Scotties than any other team. If that offense shows up they probably win by a couple scores however if the offense that played against most of the other teams shows up I think WE gets it. I’m going WE 25-13.

I really like both these schools.  Hope both do as well as they can in the playoffs.

This games seems a wild card to me.  I'll go with the home team to win on a 2pt run as time expires in a wild high turnover game.  WE 22 FS 21

East to receive. 

Parsley 9 yard TD run. He even kicked the extra point. East 7-0 at 9:30 in the first. 

Brady Delk to Colin Anderson 26 yard TD pass. 7-7 at 8:13 in the first. 

Holding against East kills their drive and they punt to the FS 20. 

FS punts and it is returned to the FS 1. Parsley gets the TD on the next play to make it 14-7 East. 

Ayden Jones 2 yard TD run. 14-14 at 19 seconds in the first. 

Parsley from 4 yards out gets his third rushing TD then they throw it for the 2 point conversion. East leads 22-14 early in the second.