Football Game Preview: South Lenoir Blue Devils vs. Pender Patriots + How To Watch

The South Lenoir Blue Devils will take on the Pender Patriots at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: South Lenoir has struggled recently with three losses in a row, while Pender will arrive with seven straight victories.

South Lenoir is headed into the contest out to prove that what happened against Clinton on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Blue Devils were outmatched by the Dark Horses and fell 42-14. The Blue Devils were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 35-6.

Meanwhile, Pender won against Clinton last Friday with 50 points and they decided to stick to that point total again on Friday. The Patriots blew past Southwest Onslow 50-14. That 36 point margin sets a new team best for the Patriots this season.

Pender's win came from a few key players South Lenoir will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jaheim Lambe, who rushed for 141 yards on only eight carries, and also picked up 38 receiving yards. Austin Deal was another key player, rushing for 136 yards on only ten carries.

Pender was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 490 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 317 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.

Pender didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Malcolm Baldwin and Zeke Williams. Williams got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

South Lenoir now has a losing record of 3-4. As for Pender, their win bumped their record up to 7-0.

Friday's game might be decided on the ground. South Lenoir has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 175.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Pender struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 449.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.