STORY BY: JORDAN MESEROLE
The Bulldogs (1-4, 0-3) are coming off a 38-16 loss to Montgomery, in which Waller was in much of the game until the fourth quarter, which has been the case for many of Waller’s game this season. Despite the record on paper, Rudder head coach C.M. Pier says it’s a team that shouldn’t be looked past.
“Waller can play. Waller played El Campo before we did, and El Campo is a very good ballclub, and Waller gave them fits,” Pier said. “They’ve got some pieces. Their quarterback is a very good player. You’ve got a tailback that’s a warrior. I like their defense. They’ve got a nice scheme. So we’ve got to be ready. They’re not just going to roll in here and roll over for us.”
Waller’s key feature of the offense is quarterback Rhett Loewe, who has the ability to both run and pass the ball and has racked up rushing and passing touchdowns in the same game twice this season.
However, Loewe and the Bulldogs will be facing off against a Rudder defense that has increasingly gotten better as the season has rolled on, including forcing a turnover in each of the past three games, and decreasing the total yards allowed to their opponent each game.
The Rangers’ defense is led by Kendall Lewis who has a team-high 56 tackles on the season, along with Sergio Vargas and Spencer Choka both who have recorded sacks in the past two games.
On the offensive side of the ball, Rudder is powered by senior running back Tre Guyton, who is averaging 172 yards on the ground per game, and has eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing milestone with four games still to be played this season.
Kickoff between Rudder and Waller is set for 7:30 pm at Merrill Green Stadium.