Two dominant backs in Jabari Shields and Dawson Witherspoon are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Rains Wildcats will head out to square off against the Mount Vernon Tigers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Friday, Rains was able to grind out a solid win over Eustace, taking the game 29-20. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Wildcats.
Taisean Shields produced another solid effort rushing for 93 yards on only nine carries.
Meanwhile, Mount Vernon never let their opponents score on Friday. They breezed past Eustace to the tune of 55-0. Given the Tigers' advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 419th, while the Bulldogs are ranked 1154th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Rains better focus on containing Cade George and Hunter Carrell as the pair were huge in Mount Vernon's win. George threw for 240 yards and four TDs while completing 93.8% of his passes, while Carrell rushed for 92 yards and a pair of scores on only seven carries. George's passing game has become a key predictor of Mount Vernon's success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 1-2 otherwise.
One reason for the win was Mount Vernon's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Cordell Carroll, Landry Moss, and Isaiah Hunter, who each picked up one sack apiece.
Rains' record now sits at 2-3. As for Mount Vernon, their record is now 4-2.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Rains has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 217.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Mount Vernon struggles in that department as they've been averaging 287 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Rains beat Mount Vernon 42-35 when the teams last played back in October of 2024. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Witherspoon, who picked up 26 receiving yards and four touchdowns, and also rushed for 131 yards. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Wildcats still be able to contain Witherspoon? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
