The Maconaquah Braves will venture away from home to square off against the Manchester Squires at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Maconaquah will come into the contest with an undefeated record on the line.
On Friday, Maconaquah was able to grind out a solid victory over Lewis Cass, taking the game 21-13. Those 21 points were actually the fewest the Braves have put up all season, but given the result they're probably not too concerned.
Maconaquah's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Marcell Sims, who rushed for 104 yards and one score, and also picked up 47 receiving yards. Sims didn't just play on offense: he also made nine total tackles and defended one pass. Speaking of playmakers, who could forget Nolan Tarrh, who went all the way with a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Manchester never let their opponents score on Friday. They blew past Whitko 42-0. The Squires have beaten the Wildcats the last seven times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Wildcats has come to flipping the script.
Maconaquah better keep an eye on Reiss Gaerte. He was instrumental in Manchester's win, rushing for 105 yards and one TD. Gaerte showed off some serious burst, turning on the afterburners on one carry for 53 yards.
Manchester didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Whitko to a completion percentage of just 36.4%. The Squires hasn't an opponent to post a completion percentage of 0.2 or higher in five consecutive matchups.
Manchester didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Cody Carroll, Hunter Hamilton, and Gaerte picked up one apiece.
Maconaquah's record now sits at 7-0. As for Manchester, their record is now 5-2.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's game: Maconaquah has been excellent in the air this season, having averaged 299.3 passing yards per game. It's a different story for Manchester, though, as they've been averaging only 70.4 passing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant passing game?
Maconaquah was able to grind out a solid win over Manchester in their previous matchup back in October of 2022, winning 26-18. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Braves since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
