Gaither has won eight straight games at home (dating back to last season), while Winter Springs has won eight straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. After each having a week off, the two teams will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:30 p.m. One thing working in Gaither's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last eight matchups.
Gaither is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They took their contest last Friday with ease, bagging a 64-6 win over Hillsborough. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 43-0.
Gaither's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Joshua Balloon led the charge by rushing for 105 yards and a pair of TDs. Balloon got the majority of those rushing yards when he took off on a run that went for an incredible 59 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Ryan Browning, who threw for 186 yards and three touchdowns.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Gaither was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 261 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.
Gaither didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. Daivon Kindred picked up that interception and then proceeded to rub salt in the wound by taking it back the other way for a touchdown. Gaither received some extra help from Brad Cobb, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Meanwhile, Winter Springs hadn't done well against Lake Howell recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way two weeks ago. The Bears narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Silverhawks 31-28.
Winter Springs' win came from a few key players Gaither will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Omar Scott, who rushed for 92 yards and a pair of scores. Another player making a difference was Isaac Johnson, who threw for 248 yards and two TDs.
Winter Springs' win bumped their record up to 7-3. As for Gaither, their victory bumped their record up to 9-1.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's matchup: Gaither has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 356.1 total yards per game. It's a different story for Winter Springs, though, as they've been averaging only 242 total yards. Will Gaither be able to march up the field at their leisure again, or will the Bears flip the script? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
