The Taylor Ducks varsity football team will travel to face the Eastside Early College Panthers on Thursday, Oct. 23, at House Park Stadium in Austin.
The Ducks are coming off a bye week, while the Panthers defeated Northeast Early College 36-6 last week. Eastside’s only loss this season came against Manor New Tech, 28-14 — the same team Taylor defeated 50-29 earlier in district play.
Taylor enters the matchup on a threegame winning streak and has outscored its district opponents 18626 during that span.
Sophomore quarterback Johnny Guzman continues to lead the Ducks’ offense. Guzman entered the season with limited starting experience but has developed into a dangerous dualthreat playmaker. He has thrown for 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 275 rushing yards and four scores on the ground.
Freshman wide receiver Elijah Afenkhena has emerged as Guzman’s top target, hauling in 450 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Zavier Stokes has also been productive in the passing game with 300 yards and four touchdowns.
In the backfield, junior running back Eric Walker powers the Ducks’ rushing attack with 633 yards and six touchdowns. Junior utility player Landon Coulter has recently become a power back for Taylor, finding the end zone four times in the last three contests.
Coulter also anchors the defense and is coming off a standout performance against Northeast Early College, where he scored twice — including a fumble return for a touchdown.
The Panthers’ offense relies heavily on their ground game, led by senior running back Khrisshawn Bryant, who has totaled 918 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. Eastside also features three other players with more than 300 rushing yards, while the team has attempted only 42 passes all year. The Panthers will likely look to control the clock and limit Taylor’s offensive possessions.
For Taylor, the key to victory will be containing Eastside’s potent rushing attack. If the Ducks can force the Panthers into long-yardage situations, they’ll be in a strong position to secure their fourth straight district win.
