Football Game Preview: Laurens Raiders vs. Westside Rams

The Laurens Raiders will venture away from home to take on the Westside Rams at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Laurens has given up an average of 38 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

On Friday, Laurens lost to Wren at home by a 45-28 margin. While losing is never fun, the Raiders can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 135th, while the Hurricanes are ranked 38th).

Laurens' defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Logan Bragg, who threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns, and Nehemias Fernandez, who gained 63 total yards and two touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Westside had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 32.3 points) and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Fury 48-21. Considering the Rams have won three games by more than 26 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.

Laurens better keep an eye on Keylan Powell. He was instrumental in Westside's win, rushing for 164 yards and five scores. With that strong performance, Powell is now averaging an impressive 103.9 rushing yards per game.

Westside didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Brayden Waller and Jacob Lewis.

Laurens dropped their record down to 1-7 with the loss, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. As for Westside, the victory got them back to even at 4-4.

Laurens was taken down by Westside 49-3 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Raiders were down 35-3.