Northbrook is 0-9 against Stratford since September of 2016 but things could change on Thursday. The Raiders will host the Spartans at 6:30 p.m.
Northbrook is headed into the contest out to prove that what happened against Jersey Village on Thursday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Raiders came up short against the Falcons, falling 34-14. The last quarter was a mere formality, since the game's final score was reached by the end of the third quarter.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Stratford, who bounced back after a loss on the road on September 11th. They were the clear victors by a 42-17 margin over Cypress Creek on Thursday. The win continues a trend for the Spartans in their matchups with the Cougars: they've now won six in a row.
Stratford's win came from a few key players Northbrook will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Gavin Guzman, who threw for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and also punched in one score on the ground. Stratford's leading receiver Cody Hanlen was Guzman's top target yet again, picking up 133 receiving yards and a pair of TDs.
Stratford's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB six times. Callan Kirk was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up 3.5 sacks himself. Thanks to that big game, he is now up to 5 sacks on the season. Another thorn in Cypress Creek's side was Luke Tamez, who forced one fumble, made 15 total tackles (1.0 for loss), and defended three passes.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Stratford, adding 12 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Johnathan Joseph, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Stratford's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for Northbrook, their defeat dropped their record down to an identical 1-3.
Thursday's game might be decided in the trenches. Northbrook has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 159.8 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Stratford, though, as they've been averaging only 92.5 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Northbrook took a serious blow against Stratford in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, falling 45-0. Thankfully for the Raiders, Javier Denson (who rushed for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only ten carries, and also picked up 44 receiving yards) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
