Football Preview: Palatka Panthers vs. Newberry Panthers
After each having a week off, the Palatka Panthers and the Newberry Panthers will shake off the cobwebs and face off against one another at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Palatka comes in on three and Newberry on seven.
Palatka is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They never let Father Lopez onto the board and left with a 60-0 win last Friday. The Panthers' defense has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a point in their last three matches.
KJ Wright was a one-man wrecking crew for Palatka as he picked up 131 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 33 yards. Those 33 rushing yards gave Wright a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Lawrence Evans, who gained 101 total yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Newberry got the win against Trinity Catholic last Friday by a conclusive 37-14. Considering the Panthers have won six contests by more than 22 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Newberry's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Collin Dunmore led the charge by throwing for 125 yards and three touchdowns on only 11 passes, while also punching in a touchdown on the ground. Hayden Moore was in the mix too, providing Newberry with two touchdowns.
Newberry pushed their record up to 8-2 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those victories were due in large part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 9.3 points per game. As for Palatka, their record is now 7-3.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Palatka has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 205.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Newberry struggles in that department as they've been averaging 205.6. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Palatka took a serious blow against Newberry in their previous matchup back in September, falling 32-0. Can Palatka avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
