Bartow proved they can win big last Friday (they won by 27) but on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They had just enough and edged the Auburndale Bloodhounds out 18-16. That result was just more of the same for these two, as the Yellow Jackets also won the last time the pair played back in September of 2023.
Bartow can attribute much of their success to Blake Johnson, who threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns while completing 83.3% of his passes, and also rushed for 43 yards. Another player making a difference was Avis Brown Jr., who rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Bartow's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-2. As for Auburndale, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-2.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Bartow will play host again on Friday to welcome Bloomingdale, where kickoff is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Bloomingdale's defense has only allowed 16.5 points per game this season, so Bartow's offense will have their work cut out for them. As for Auburndale, they will challenge Jones at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. Jones will roll in looking for their fifth straight victory, something Auburndale surely won't give up without a fight.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
