The Massaponax Panthers are taking a road trip to challenge the Riverbend Bears at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Massaponax and Brooke Point meet (four straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Friday. The Panthers fell 21-14 to the Black Hawks. Despite 77 more yards than the Black Hawks, the Panthers couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.
Joe Sanders
| 10/24/25 vs Brooke Point | 141 |
| 10/17/25 @ Stafford | 133 |
| 10/10/25 vs North Stafford | 79 |
| 10/03/25 vs Mountain View | 171 |
| 09/19/25 vs Chancellor | 33 |
| + 3 more games |
Despite the defeat, Massaponax got top-tier performance from Joe Sanders, who rushed for 141 yards and one score. With that strong performance, Sanders is now averaging an impressive 103.8 rushing yards per game.
Even if they lost, Massaponax's defense still kept up the pressure with five sacks. Declan Ta'Amai refused to say out of the backfield, picking up 1.5 sacks all by himself.
Meanwhile, Riverbend put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Stafford, posting a 47-0 victory. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Bears' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia football rankings (they are ranked 14th, while the Indians are ranked 116th).
Massaponax better keep an eye on Ian Shook. He was instrumental in Riverbend's win, rushing for 42 yards and one TD, while also throwing for 86 yards and one touchdown. What's more, Shook racked up 177.1 passer rating, the most he's had since back in August.
Massaponax's loss dropped their record down to 4-4. As for Riverbend, their win bumped their record up to 8-0.
Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. Massaponax has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 256.4 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Riverbend, though, as they've been averaging only 72 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Massaponax ended up a good deal behind Riverbend in their previous meeting back in November of 2024, losing 42-28. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
