Football Preview: Newberry Panthers vs. Palatka Panthers
The Newberry Panthers will venture away from home to face off against the Palatka Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Newberry's defense has only allowed 17.8 points per game this season, so Palatka's offense will have their work cut out for them.
Newberry took a loss when they played away from home on September 6th, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed two weeks ago. They blew past Keystone Heights 48-0 at home. The high-scoring effort was just what the Panthers needed considering they were shutout in their previous matchup.
It was another big night for Kaleb Woods, who rushed for 194 yards and four touchdowns on only 11 carries. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 81-yard run. Another big playmaker for Newberry was Elijah Beckford, who returned a punt for a touchdown.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Newberry was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 297 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2023.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Newberry's defense and their ten sacks. Malachi Lancaster and Jarquez Carter were the leaders of the group effort as each produced three apiece. Carter is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made six or more in the last five games he's played dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Palatka's offense rose to the challenge against a Sharks defense that boasted an average of only 17.4 points allowed on Friday. Palatka came out on top against Nature Coast Tech by a score of 34-26. The victory was familiar territory for the Panthers who have now won four contests in a row.
Palatka's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Justin Fells, who rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns. The dominant performance gave Fells a new career-high in rushing yards. Lawrence Evans was another key back, rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown on only 12 carries.
The win got Newberry back to even at 2-2. As for Palatka, their record now sits at 4-1.
Friday's match might be decided in the on the ground. Newberry has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 214.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Palatka struggles in that department as they've been averaging 237.4. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Newberry was able to grind out a solid victory over Palatka when the teams last played back in September of 2021, winning 37-30. Does Newberry have another victory up their sleeve, or will Palatka turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
