McNeil is 2-8 against Cedar Ridge since September of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Mavericks will challenge the Raiders at 7:00 p.m. McNeil is coming into the contest hot, having won their last three games.
Last Friday, McNeil narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Vista Ridge 45-42. That's two games straight that the Mavericks have won by exactly three points.
McNeil relied on the efforts of Jarell Gary Jr, who gained 244 total yards and three touchdowns, and Zylen Hall, who rushed for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only seven carries. Gary Jr got the majority of those receiving yards when he pulled down a pass and took off for a gain of 73 yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: McNeil was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 355 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.
Meanwhile, Cedar Ridge came up short against Vista Ridge on Friday and fell 37-24. While losing is never fun, the Raiders can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 315th, while the Rangers are ranked 134th).
Defeat or not, Cedar Ridge got some senior leadership from Christian Hall and Noah Devonish. Hall gained 147 total yards and two touchdowns, while Devonish gained 197 total yards and a touchdown.
Cedar Ridge 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 Devonish. Another thorn in Vista Ridge's side was Ryder Gillespie, who forced one fumble, made nine total tackles (1.0 for loss), and defended one pass.
McNeil's victory bumped their record up to 5-2. As for Cedar Ridge, their loss dropped their record down to 3-5.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. McNeil has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 214.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Cedar Ridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 210.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
McNeil took their win against Cedar Ridge in their previous matchup back in October of 2024 by a conclusive 48-26 score. In that contest, the Mavericks amassed a halftime lead of 42-0, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
