The Mainland Buccaneers had already proven themselves in the regular season, and didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They were the clear victor by a 34-12 margin over Vanguard. Mainland might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won nine matches by 21 points or more this season.
Mainland's win on Friday was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Dennis Murray jr., who rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns on only six carries. Murray jr. was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 55 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Khamani Robinson, who rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown while picking up 7.9 yards per carry.
The team's defense also helped out by holding Vanguard to a paltry 192 yards. A big part of that defensive dominance came down to Mainland's ability to keep the quarterback under pressure: the team laid the passer out five times before it was all said and done. In that department, Lawal Mccray (lj) was the leader with two sacks.
The victory (which was Mainland's fourth in a row) raised their record to 13-1. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 38.3 points per game. As for Vanguard, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-3.
Mainland will take on St. Augustine at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. One thing working in St. Augustine's favor is that they have posted big point totals every time they've taken the field this season. Vanguard does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
