For the first time this season, Knightdale will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. After each having a week off, they and the Franklinton Red Rams will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The last three games Knightdale has played have been within three points, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
While Knightdale's victory against South Granville wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Knights narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Vikings 38-35. The victory almost wasn't to be: the Knights were down 28-6 in the second quarter.
Jamel Perry
| 09/19/25 @ South Granville | 318 |
| 08/22/25 @ Southern Nash | 289 |
| 10/04/24 vs Wake Forest | 288 |
| 08/29/25 vs Enloe | 257 |
| 09/06/24 vs South Granville | 225 |
Jamel Perry was his usual excellent self, throwing for 318 yards and four TDs while completing 74.1% of his passes, and also rushing for 35 yards and one touchdown. Those 318 passing yards gave him a new career-high. Jalen Moore was another key player, picking up 108 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
Another reason for the win was Knightdale's imposing defensive line, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Leading the way was Kris Jones with two.
Meanwhile, after only eight points in their last matchup, Franklinton made sure to put some points up on the board against Riverside-Durham last Friday. The Red Rams took their game with ease, bagging a 35-7 win over the Pirates.
Franklinton's win came from a few key players Knightdale will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Alijah Durham, who rushed for 79 yards and one touchdown on only nine carries.
Franklinton didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Riverside-Durham to a completion percentage of just 39.4%. The team can thank Xavier Eaton for the heroic effort on defense: he. Franklinton hasn't an opponent to post a completion percentage of 0.35 or higher in four consecutive contests.
Franklinton didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Gebriel Gaskin.
Knightdale's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-4. As for Franklinton, their record now sits at 4-1.
Friday's matchup will pit two of the most dominant signal callers against one another: Perry and Keith James. Perry just won't slow down this season and has thrown 12 touchdowns while averaging 259.4 passing yards per game. James has been a dominant force too and has thrown 11 touchdowns (and and only 2 picks) while averaging 215.4 passing yards per game.
