PAOLI – Tonight, September 9th, 2022, the Perry Central Commodores travel the 50 minutes up Highway 37 to play the Paoli Rams football team. This game will feature two heavy run offense teams, and we expect it to be a high scoring affair.
The Paoli Rams are 2-1 going into Week 4 of the IHSAA Football season. Their only loss came at the hands of an athletic 4A Boonville program in Week 1. The Rams beat the Springs Valley Blackhawks last week in a closely contested, turnover fest, 29-22. Then in week 2 it was a high scoring frenzy of a game in a Rams win over Corydon Central, 67-40.
There have been a lot of ups and downs to the Rams season, but the main concern we have is the number of turnovers. If they continue tonight, Perry Central’s run game and Junior RB Sawyer Guillaume will control the ball and will take the win if Paoli gives it to them.
Perry Central’s Guillaume has been a force this season. He’s rushed 57 times for 590 yards and 4 touchdowns over the first 3 weeks. We predict that he will be a big part of this game, as well as Senior QB Tyler Hubert, who also has running ability and can throw a few passes.
Perry Central gains 10.2 yards an attempt and has 918 rushing yards as a team so far. The Commodores also have the highest points differential of any team in Sectional 40, making them a very hot team early on. They will bring a big test to Paoli’s Defense.
The Commodores come into week 4 with a 3 and 0 record, but the level of competition they have face could be considered lower than what Paoli has gone up against. Perry Central has beaten teams like Tell City, Forest Park, and Crawford County. They all play in the same sectional, but all off them have negative point differential and losing records. I will give the Strength of Schedule win to Paoli.
The Rams are led by Junior Running back Trey Rominger, rushing 78 times for a total 573 yards (7.3 ypc) and 6 touchdowns. He is on pace to break Paoli’s Rams School Rushing Record this week. Trey is not the only rushing phenom on this team, as there are several other runners that can make huge runs frequently.
Rams QB Braxton Elliot is currently rushing 9.1 yards a carrying attempt, and with Brandon Cook, Fletcher Cole, and Austin Benales able to get big yards at any given time, its hard for any team to focus solely on Trey Rominger.
Paoli has 1,227 offensive yards in the first 3 games, and get about 7.4 yards each attempt they take.
On the defensive side of the ball for the Rams, we’re liking what we’re seeing from Isaiah Apple and Austin Benales. Brandon Cook and Fletcher Cole will need to be prepared on the passing front as Perry Central may move to the pass to surprise the Rams.
We look forward to the game tonight, in what we believe will be a very close match up. This one may be like the Corydon Central game where a lot of points will be on the board and quickly. I believe the Rams have the edge based on Strength of Schedule, Rams defense with the edge, and better running from the Rams.
For the Commodores success, they will need to attack the exterior, throw slanting pass plays into the mix, and do not concentrate full focus on interior run defense. Will need to cover wide.
