Football Game Preview: Cleveland Central Wolves vs. Lanier Bulldogs + Official Tickets

The Cleveland Central Wolves will face off against the Lanier Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Cleveland Central took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 34-10 margin over Vicksburg.

Anthony Stephens Jr

Rushing Touchdowns

10/09/25 @ Holmes County Central	5
10/24/25 vs Vicksburg	2
09/05/25 vs Greenwood	2
08/29/25 @ Clarksdale	2
09/12/25 @ Amanda Elzy	1

Cleveland Central's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Anthony Stephens Jr, who rushed for 49 yards and two scores. The Wolves are 3-1 when Stephens Jr posts two or more rushing touchdowns, but 1-2 otherwise.

Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Cleveland Central proved: they limited Vicksburg to a paltry 2.6 yards per carry. While three picked up at least five total tackles, Pasario Self stood above the rest. He picked up a sack and made five total tackles (2.0 for loss). Cleveland Central didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 5.7.

Meanwhile, Lanier put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They came within six points of losing the streak, but they secured a 34-28 W against Florence.

Lanier's win came from a few key players Cleveland Central will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Knolyn Bailey, who rushed for 190 yards and one touchdown while picking up 10.0 yards per carry. Bailey is crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 110 every time he's taken the field this season. Another player making a difference was Darrell Roberts, who rushed for 162 yards and one TD on only six carries.

Lanier's victory bumped their record up to 9-0. As for Cleveland Central, they now have a winning record of 4-3.

Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Cleveland Central has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 198.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Lanier struggles in that department as they've been averaging 356.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.