After each having a week off, the Dunnellon Tigers and the Mount Dora Hurricanes will dust off their jerseys to face off against one another at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Dunnellon is coming into the contest hot, having won their last four games.
Two weeks ago, Dunnellon got the win against Baker County by a conclusive 28-6. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won five games by 20 points or more so far this season.
Dunnellon's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jeffery Vickers, who rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown. Malachi Bullock made the highlight reel by snagging an interception and taking it all the way to the house.
Dunnellon was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 204 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 177 rushing yards in four consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, after a string of six wins, Mount Dora's good fortune finally ran out two weeks ago. They and The Villages Charter were almost perfectly matched up, but Mount Dora suffered a 27-26 loss. Despite 88 more yards than the Buffalo, the Hurricanes couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Tanner Waring, who picked up 137 receiving yards and a touchdown. The bulk of those receiving yards came from one huge play: a catch that gained an incredible 86 yards. Tymir Gaines was another key player, rushing for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Dunnellon's victory bumped their record up to 7-3. As for Mount Dora, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the on the ground. Dunnellon has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 182.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Mount Dora struggles in that department as they've been averaging 183.1. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Dunnellon strolled past Mount Dora when the teams last played back in September of 2016 by a score of 48-32. Will Dunnellon repeat their success, or does Mount Dora have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
