The Osceola Kowboys will challenge the Melbourne Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few points on average, (Osceola: 15.6, Melbourne: 9) so any points scored will be well earned.
Osceola's usually-dominant defense will be looking to make up for Thursday's struggle, when Jones offense got past them. Osceola fell to Jones 34-28. That makes it the first time this season the Kowboys have let down their home crowd.
Despite the loss, Osceola got top-tier performance from Taevion Swint, who rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Swint is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last three games he's played dating back to last season. Another big playmaker for Osceola was Alijah Jenkins, who returned a punt for a touchdown.
Even if they lost, Osceola's defensive line still kept up the pressure with eight sacks. In that department, Joshua Alamo was the leader with three. Another thorn in Jones' side was Jakyri Watson, who made 12 total tackles and defended five passes.
Even though they lost, Osceola was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 310 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 188 rushing yards in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Melbourne had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 22.5 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They took their contest at home with ease, bagging a 31-0 victory over the Pirates. That looming 31-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Bulldogs yet this season.
Melbourne's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Wyatt Votava and Jerel Patrick. Jason Melidor was another major factor on D, picking up 1.5 sacks and making seven total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Osceola's defeat dropped their record down to 3-2. As for Melbourne, they now also have a winning record of 3-2.
Friday's match might be decided in the on the ground. Osceola has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 236.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Melbourne struggles in that department as they've been averaging 229.4. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
