Football Game Preview: Manchester Lancers vs. Thomas Dale Knights + Official Tickets

Manchester is a perfect 5-0 against Thomas Dale since November of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Lancers will challenge the Knights at 7:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few points on average (Manchester 11.8, Thomas Dale 8.8) so any points scored will be well earned.

Manchester is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They came out on top against Landstown by a score of 38-28. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Lancers considering their seven-point performance the matchup before.

Jayden Ballard

Receiving Yards

08/28/25 vs Monacan	94
11/14/25 vs Landstown	80
10/24/25 @ Powhatan	25
09/12/25 @ James River Midlothian	12
09/05/25 @ Glen Allen	9

Landen Abernethy continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, throwing for 267 yards and two TDs, while also punching in one touchdown on the ground. 80 of Abernethy's passing yards were hauled in by Jayden Ballard, who also brought in a receiving touchdown.

Manchester didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Jeremiah Blakney and Antonio Turner Jr.

Meanwhile, Thomas Dale waltzed into their game last Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They took down the Blue Devils 36-22. Given the Knights' advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia football rankings (they are ranked 23rd, while the Blue Devils are ranked 106th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Manchester better focus on containing Daniel Lewis and Jaiden Hite as the pair were huge in Thomas Dale's win. Lewis picked up 110 receiving yards and one score, while Hite rushed for 90 yards on only 11 carries. The bulk of those receiving yards came from one huge play: a catch that gained an incredible 72 yards.

Special teams was a major factor in the game for Thomas Dale, racking up 16 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Micah Flowers, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.

Manchester's record is now 10-1. As for Thomas Dale, their record now sits at 9-1.

Manchester was able to grind out a solid win over Thomas Dale in their previous meeting back in November of 2024, winning 18-7. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lancers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.