Preview of the War on 24

The stakes always seem high for the battle between Rossville and Silver Lake. So even though the 2021 version pits the #1 team in 2A against a team tied for #2, that just seems ordinary. These two teams always seem to be elite, and more is on the line than just bragging rights. Rossville comes into Friday’s matchup 6-0. Here are a few players to watch for the Bulldogs on Friday: [player_tooltip player_id="35598" first="Torrey" last="Horak"], 5-foot-11, 170 pound quarterback, 2022: Frankly, Horak’s stats don’t tell the story of what this kid is. Between balancing their offense, and sitting Horak in blowouts, the Bulldogs have pulled back the reigns somewhat on their all-state senior. But he’s without a doubt the playmaker on the Rossville offense. His brother, Tucker, led Rossville to back-to-back titles, and Torrey is trying to do the same. He’s an explosive runner who can also throw the ball around. <strong>Corey Catron</strong>, 5-foot-8, 165 pound running back, 2022: Horak’s right hand man, Catron has found the end zone 14 times in just six games. He is willing to pound it up the middle, running with hard-nosed determination. He’s also a solid receiver out of the backfield. <strong>Pedro Arantes</strong>, 5-foot-9 kicker, 2023: An exchange student from Brazil, Arantes has shown a ton of potential. He boots every kickoff to the end zone, and his extra points have been on point. The only question is how a guy who had never kicked a football before two months ago will respond if called upon in a high-pressure situation. If the game with Silver Lake is close, Arantes could be a weapon, if he can handle the pressure. Silver Lake lost 22-14 to Riley County, currently #6 in 3A. Here are a few players to watch for the Eagles on Friday: [player_tooltip player_id="91395" first="Daigan" last="Kruger"], 5-foot-10, 185 pound quarterback, 2022: Somewhat like Horak, Kruger is the trigger man for the Eagles, and everything runs through him. The Eagles pass nearly 50% of their offensive plays, and Kruger has passed for more than 1,000 yards. He completes about 60% of his throws. <strong>Gannon Reimer</strong>, 5-foot-11 receiver, 2022: Kruger hits a lot of different receivers, but Reimer is the Eagles’ number one target. <strong>Troy Heiman</strong>, 6-foot-2 receiver, 2023: Heiman is right behind Reimer in terms of receptions and yardage. <strong>Brogan Renfro</strong>, 5-foot-10, 130 pound running back, 2022: Renfro hammered McClouth last Friday for over 100 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. Watch for him to play a big role against Rossville.