Mitchell has won eight straight games at home (dating back to last season), while Wiregrass Ranch has won eight straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Mitchell Mustangs will square off against the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls at 7:30 p.m. One thing working in Mitchell's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last seven matches.
If Mitchell beats Wiregrass Ranch with 49 points on Thursday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. Mitchell took their contest on Friday with ease, bagging a 49-6 win over Anclote. Given the Mustangs' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida football rankings (they are ranked 102nd, while the Sharks are ranked 536th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Mitchell's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Corey Simms led the charge by rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown on only five carries. Another passer making a difference was Cayden Thomas, who threw for 119 yards and three touchdowns.
Mitchell wouldn't let Anclote keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Mitchell can thank Cody Allen and AJ Samples for forcing both of them. Allen is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made six or more in the last five games he's played.
Meanwhile, Wiregrass Ranch strolled past River Ridge with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 35-18.
Wiregrass Ranch got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Dillon Rose Bailey out in front who threw for 136 yards and two touchdowns on perfect 9-for-9 passing, and also rushed for 50 yards. Those 50 rushing yards gave Rose Bailey a new career-high. Nathan Mcneil was another key player, gaining 98 total yards and two touchdowns.
Wiregrass Ranch didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. Gavin Gilyard picked up that interception and then proceeded to rub salt in the wound by taking it back the other way for a touchdown. Wiregrass Ranch got some further help from Carmelo Joseph: he picked up three sacks, made ten total tackles, and defended a pass.
Mitchell's record now sits at 9-0. As for Wiregrass Ranch, their record now sits at an identical 9-0.
Thursday's game will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Simms and Mcneil. Simms just won't slow down this season and has run in 18 touchdowns while averaging 126.7 rushing yards per game. Mcneil has been a dominant force too and has caught 5 touchdowns while averaging 43.9 receiving yards per game.
Mitchell might still be hurting after the 55-34 loss they got from Wiregrass Ranch in their previous matchup back in September of 2023. Thankfully for Mitchell, Luke Knight (who threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 13.6 yards per attempt, and also punched in a touchdown on the ground) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
