The Taylor Ducks varsity football team will face Eastside Early College on Friday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Taylor High School.
The Ducks, coming off a bye week, aim to extend their win streak to four games and remain undefeated in district play. Meanwhile, the Panthers are riding high after a 42-14 victory over Northeast Early College.
Taylor has seen an impressive turnaround, rebounding from a 0-4 start to the season.
Senior all-purpose player Eli Laurence has been instrumental in the Ducks’ resurgence, passing for 1,053 yards and 11 touchdowns.
His primary targets have been senior wide receiver Jamarcus Seawood, who has 323 yards and five touchdowns, and freshman wide receiver Damien Calico, who has accumulated 285 yards and three scores.
Despite the success of the passing attack, Taylor’s offense will prioritize senior running back Andrias Fisher, who is coming off his best game of the season.
Fisher rushed for 274 yards and four touchdowns on just seven carries in his last outing.
The Panthers present a formidable rushing offense, led by sophomore running backs Jaylan Cathley and Nathan Rios. The duo combined for 364 rushing yards last week, and Taylor’s defense will need to step up to contain Eastside’s powerful ground game.
Senior defensive lineman Kaddy Maravilla and junior outside linebacker Stephan Rogers will be key players for the Ducks on that front.
Turnovers will be a crucial factor, as Taylor has protected the ball well during its win streak. Maintaining that trend will be vital against an Eastside team known for forcing takeaways.
Eastside’s offense is led by junior quarterback Nigel Johnson, who primarily contributes to the run game.
While Johnson is the starting quarterback, the Panthers rarely pass, relying heavily ontheir running backs.
