Football Game Preview: Atholton Raiders vs. Long Reach Lightning + Official Tickets

The Atholton Raiders will square off against the Long Reach Lightning at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

Atholton is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 47 points two weeks ago, they were much more limited against Guilford Park on Friday. They took a blow against the Panther, falling 45-12. The matchup marked the Raiders' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Tyler Bell, who threw for 214 yards and two TDs, and also rushed for 79 yards on only 11 carries. Atholton's leading receiver Isaiah Johnson was Bell's top target yet again, picking up 104 receiving yards and one score.

Meanwhile, Long Reach was beaten by Howard 41-12 on Friday. The loss continues a trend for the Lightning in their meetings with the Lions: they've now lost five in a row.

Atholton's defeat dropped their record down to 3-2. As for Long Reach, their loss dropped their record down to an identical 3-2.

Everything came up roses for Atholton against Long Reach in their previous meeting back in September of 2024, as the squad secured a 27-0 victory. Will the Raiders repeat their success, or do the Lightning have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.