Jacob Jenkins (24) of Triad tracks down a Ben Logan rusher during Week 1 of the season. The Cardinals will face Mechanicsburg during their Homecoming game tonight. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The Cardinals of Triad will celebrate Homecoming tonight.
They will also try to get past a solid 5-1 Mechanicsburg team.
The Indians have been averaging 49.6 points per game and dropped their first contest to the Ohio Heritage Conference leaders West Jefferson, 30-22, last week.
Mechanicsburg has found a lot of its success in the run game behind a back who sits in the top three of the league with 571 yards.
Chayse Propst has picked up that yardage on 51 attempts and tallied eight touchdowns in the process.
The Indians also have some secondary backs who have been able to pick up yards when given the opportunity.
Aaron Conley is averaging 4.4 yards per carry on 35 attempts and Jake Hurst has made the most of his chances to tally 108 yards on eight carries.
If the ground game isn’t moving for the Indians, Conley has also been affective in the passing game.
He’s completed 37-of-71 attempts for 697 yards and 10 TDs.
The Indians’ gunslinger also has several targets who have helped pick up yardage for the sophomore QB.
Hurst leads the team in receiving yards with 254 on 12 receptions and three touchdowns.
Mack DeLong has also been affective on the outside with 12 receptions for 158 yards and three TDs.
Even though the Cardinals(2-4) have not found as much success on the scoreboard -averaging 25.2 points per game – they still have offensive weapons on the field that can put points on the board.
The Jordan Simonelli-to-Logan McCoy connection has helped the QB-receiver tag team has helped launch McCoy to the top of the wide-out leaderboard with 531 yards receiving and six touchdowns.
Simonelli sits just outside of the top five with 810 yards this season for 135 yards per game.
Where the Cardinals have struggled this season has been in their ground game. Coleman Hauck leads the Cards with 258 yards on 55 attempts, while Jacob Jenkins is at 195 yards on 42 attempts.
With another stiff opponent in front of the Cardinals, Triad will look to some Homecoming cheers to help give them the bump they need in motivation.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Cardinals ‘stadium with Homecoming celebrations to takes place prior to kick-off.