Lawrence Central vs Center Grove Preview

<p>Lawrence Central and Center Grove are set to collide head-to-head this Friday, and today we're taking a look at the game and what to potentially expect.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lawrence Central</h2>   <p>The Bears head into the week 3-2, and their offense has been firing on all cylinders. They're averaging 38 PPG and just hung 42 on Pike last week.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Allen is completing 60% of his throws this year. He's averaging 225 yards a game through the air. His 1125 yards on the season are good, but it's his protection of the ball that's making the difference. 18 TDs to 1 INT through 5 weeks is about as good as it gets. He needs to take care of the ball again on Friday and score when the chances are there.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Gooden is a big, powerful back who brings some versatility out of the backfield. He's hard to bring down and will churn out hard-earned yards. He's got speed to break the big one as well. He's capable in blitz pickup, too. His 532 rushing yards and 3 TDs on the ground lead the team. He's then added 234 yards and 3 TDs through the air. If Lawrence Central is to win, Gooden will need to have a big game.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Ford is an athletic LB who has good range and vision in the 2nd level. He's good in pass coverage as well and has success in both man and zone coverages. When he rushes, he can get home, but he's out in coverage or the 2nd level more often than not. His 32 tackles lead the team. He's also got 1.5 TFLs, 1 sack, and a forced fumble to this point. Center Grove's offense is hard to slow down, so the defense needs to be disciplined, and it starts with Ford.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Center Grove</h2>   <p>The Trojans head into the week 5-0 and have been battle-tested to this point. They've got a handful of impressive wins, the most impressive being the 63-35 beatdown of [player_tooltip player_id='1630653' first='Ben' last='Davis'].</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Sloan is poised and has been in full control of the offense since week 1. He's accurate and hits his guys in stride. He knows where the ball is supposed to go at all times. Through 5 weeks, he's completing 73% of his throws for 708 yards and 6 TDs. He does a good job spreading the ball out and throws an easy catchable pass. Sloan checks a lot of boxes and continues to improve with each rep.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Rees has played in 3 games this year for Center Grove, and it's clear he's incredibly valuable to the offense. He's their chains mover. They trust him and know he'll pick up positive yardage. He's got good vision and is patient with letting his blocks develop. His 367 yards and 6 TDs in the 3 games he's played have been pivotal.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Paxson's breakout has been huge for Center Grove. Not only has he been good and productive, but he looks the part. He's a good athlete, strong, and has a good sense of feel on the field. He's not one to miss tackles and wrap up in open spaces. He's good at creating pressure and getting home as well. His 52 tackles lead the team. He then has 6 TFLs, 2 sacks, and a recovered fumble through 5 weeks. He'll be busy Friday night with the running game, so I'll be curious to see how he holds up.</p>

Lawrence Central and Center Grove are set to collide head-to-head this Friday, and today we're taking a look at the game and what to potentially expect.