Football Preview: Ragsdale Tigers vs. Grimsley Whirlies
Ragsdale is 2-8 against Grimsley since August of 2014 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Ragsdale Tigers will face off against the Grimsley Whirlies at 7:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Ragsdale is headed into Friday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Friday. They were just a hair shy of victory and fell 36-35 to Southeast Guilford. One positive for the Tigers, at least, is that this was the most points they've scored all season.
Despite the defeat, Ragsdale got top-tier performance from Fabian Diggs, who rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.4 yards per carry. Diggs was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 60 yards. Chance McGriff was another key player, rushing for 78 yards and a touchdown.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Ragsdale was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 314 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Even if they lost, Ragsdale's defensive line still kept up the pressure with three sacks. Ethan Anderson was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up twohimself.
Meanwhile, Grimsley put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Western Guilford, posting a 48-0 victory on the road. The Whirlies might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by 22 points or more this season.
Faizon Brandon continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 44 yards and two touchdowns, while also throwing for 206 yards and two touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes. Another player making a difference was Mitchell Summers, who gained 100 total yards and two touchdowns.
Grimsley wouldn't let Western Guilford keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Grimsley can thank Jaiden Wardlaw and Fort Hihelgo for forcing both of them. Bryce Davis was another major factor on D, picking up two sacks and making five total tackles (3.0 for loss).
Ragsdale's loss dropped their record down to 2-4. As for Grimsley, they pushed their record up to 6-0 with the win, which was their third straight on the road.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the on the ground. Ragsdale has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 198.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Grimsley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 216. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Ragsdale took a serious blow against Grimsley in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, falling 56-6. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Brandon, who threw for 297 yards and four touchdowns while completing 73.3% of his passes. Now that Ragsdale knows the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
