The Richland Rams will be playing at home against the Bellwood-Antis Blue Devils at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Richland's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last seven games.
Richland is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They blew past United Valley co-op [Blacklick Valley/United] 35-12. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Rams' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Pennsylvania football rankings (they are ranked 30th, while United Valley co-op [Blacklick Valley/United] are ranked 282nd).
Brayden Knepper
| 10/31/25 vs United Valley co-op [Blacklick Valley/United] | 129 |
| 09/26/25 vs Somerset | 53 |
| 08/30/24 vs Huntingdon | 19 |
| 09/11/25 @ Bishop McCort | 8 |
| 08/22/25 vs Central Cambria | 6 |
Brayden Knepper had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 129 yards and two TDs on only 11 carries. Those 129 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. Arnold Mugerwa also helped out with an impressive 83 receiving yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Richland was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 382 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Bellwood-Antis had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 19.3 points) and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. Everything went their way against the Panthers as they made off with a 42-16 victory. That 26 point margin sets a new team best for the Blue Devils this season.
Bellwood-Antis' win came from a few key players Richland will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Alex McCartney, who rushed for 165 yards and three scores while picking up 10.3 yards per carry. He was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 50 yards. Chase Plummer was another major influence, as he rushed for 100 yards and ran in a TD.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Bellwood-Antis' defense and their three sacks. Leading the way was Christian Jennings with two. He also made six total tackles, which is notable because Bellwood-Antis is undefeated when he posts at least four total tackles, but 3-4 otherwise.
Richland's record is now 10-1. As for Bellwood-Antis, their record now sits at 7-4.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Richland has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 153.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Bellwood-Antis struggles in that department as they've been averaging 196 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for Richland against Bellwood-Antis in their previous meeting back in November of 2021, as the team secured a 54-14 win. Will the Rams repeat their success, or do the Blue Devils have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
