Football Game Preview: Bayside Bears vs. Space Coast Vipers

The Bayside Bears will take on the Space Coast Vipers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Bayside is coming into the matchup on a three-game losing streak.

On Friday, Bayside came up short against Astronaut and fell 14-6.

Meanwhile, everything came up roses for Space Coast against Cocoa Beach on Friday as the team secured a 48-21 win. The victory continues a trend for the Vipers in their matchups with the Minutemen: they've now won three in a row.

Bayside better keep an eye on Zion Sandy. He was instrumental in Space Coast's win, throwing for 324 yards and three TDs, while also rushing for 38 yards and one score. Those 324 passing yards gave Sandy a new career-high. Bradyn Cook was another key player, gaining 53 total yards and three touchdowns.

Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Space Coast proved: they limited Cocoa Beach to a paltry 1.9 yards per carry. While two picked up at least six total tackles, Cook stood above the rest. He rushed for 42 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also caught one TD. Space Coast didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 5.6.

Space Coast didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Kadyn Thomas and Junior Fider.

Bayside's defeat dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Space Coast, their win bumped their record up to 5-1.

Everything came up roses for Bayside against Space Coast in their previous matchup back in August of 2021, as the squad secured a 52-7 victory. In that game, the Bears amassed a halftime lead of 26-0, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.