Football Game Preview: Hernando Leopards vs. Nature Coast Tech Sharks

Hernando is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Nature Coast Tech is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Leopards will host the Sharks at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few points on average (Hernando 8.7, Nature Coast Tech 14.9) so any points scored will be well earned.

On Friday, Hernando was able to grind out a solid victory over Weeki Wachee, taking the game 17-6.

Hernando's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Michael Saltsman led the charge by throwing for 241 yards and one TD while completing 77.3% of his passes, and also rushing for 48 yards. Another rusher making a difference was Jerry Brown, who rushed for 85 yards and one score on only 12 carries.

Hernando didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. Blake Williams led the group effort, picking up two of those interceptions all by himself. Another thorn in Weeki Wachee's side was Michael Brown, who picked up 3.5 sacks and made four total tackles.

Meanwhile, Nature Coast Tech unfortunately witnessed the end of their seven-game winning streak last Friday. The matchup between the Sharks and Land O' Lakes didn't end well, with the Sharks falling 38-22. The defensive woes were uncharacteristic for the Sharks, who until this contest were averaging 14.89 points allowed.

Hernando's win bumped their record up to 7-2. As for Nature Coast Tech, their defeat dropped their record down to an identical 7-2.

Hernando strolled past Nature Coast Tech in their previous meeting back in November of 2024 by a score of 21-7. Do the Leopards have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Sharks turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.