The Merritt Island Christian Cougars will take on the Countryside Christian Minutemen at 7:00 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.
Merritt Island Christian's defense heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They blew past Sports Leadership & Management, posting a 42-0 win. Considering the Cougars have won nine contests by more than 23 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Caleb Richeson
| 08/22/25 @ Ocala Christian | 135 |
| 09/19/25 vs Donahue Catholic | 101 |
| 10/24/25 vs Sports Leadership & Management | 84 |
| 08/29/25 @ Sports Leadership & Management | 81 |
| 09/05/25 @ Countryside Christian | 79 |
Merritt Island Christian got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Emmerson Hahn out in front who rushed for 67 yards and one touchdown on only six carries, and also picked up 58 receiving yards and one score. Hahn also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, forcing one fumble and making seven total tackles (0.5 for loss). Merritt Island Christian also got a significant boost from Caleb Richeson, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 84 yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Merritt Island Christian was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 215 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 162 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Merritt Island Christian didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Jonathan Pratt, Bode Handwork, and Connor Angstadt picked up one apiece. Merritt Island Christian received some extra help from Hahn, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Meanwhile, Countryside Christian faced Saint Francis Catholic Academy in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Minutemen came out on top against the Wolves by a score of 48-38. Winning may never get old, but the Minutemen sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Merritt Island Christian's record is now 9-1. As for Countryside Christian, their record now sits at 4-5.
Everything came up roses for Merritt Island Christian against Countryside Christian when the teams last played back in September, as the squad secured a 55-16 win. In that matchup, the Cougars amassed a halftime lead of 38-16, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
