Bates County rivals, the Adrian Blackhawks and Butler Bears, battled it out under the lights Friday night in Butler. The two teams delivered a hard-fought contest, with the Blackhawks (1-3) looking to rebound after a devastating loss to Midway and snap their three-game losing streak. The Bears (3-1) came in on a high, riding a three-game win streak and hoping to keep that momentum rolling.

Adrian came into the matchup with a clear plan: dominate the line of scrimmage. From the opening series, the Blackhawks did just that. Their physicality set the tone on both sides of the ball early, forcing Butler to fight for every yard. The Bears battled back, roaring to life at times, but every gain was hard-earned against an overpowering Adrian squad. The relentless pressure eventually led the Blackhawks to a 39-28 victory over Butler.

“Nice win for us,” Adrian head coach Matt Davis told Tailgate TV. “O-line and D-line controlled the game. That was the most physical we’ve played all year. Hopefully we can keep that level of play going for the rest of the season.”

The victory gives Adrian a chance to build momentum at 2-3 as they prepare to host an 0-5 Versailles team this week. For Butler, focus shifts to a Homecoming Week showdown with 3-2 Cole Camp, hoping to regain the rhythm that carried them earlier in the season.

photo courtesy of the Adrian News Leader!