Two dominant backs in Xavier Strong and Caleb Richeson are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Sports Leadership & Management Spartans will venture away from home to challenge the Merritt Island Christian Cougars at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Sports Leadership & Management has given up an average of 35.3 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Sports Leadership & Management is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Florida's top teams: Four Corners, who was ranked 13th at the time (Sports Leadership & Management was ranked 17th). The Spartans took a 48-44 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Coyotes on Friday.
Meanwhile, Merritt Island Christian waltzed into their matchup on Friday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They never let the Hurricanes get on the board and left with a 54-0 victory. The Cougars' defense has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a point in their last four games.
Merritt Island Christian's win came from a few key players Sports Leadership & Management will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Bode Handwork, who threw for 107 yards and one TD, and also punched in one touchdown on the ground. What's more, he racked up 20 rushing yards, the most he's had since back in November of 2024. Emmerson Hahn was another key player, rushing for 71 yards and one score.
Merritt Island Christian was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 251 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 162 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Merritt Island Christian's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB three times. The team can thank two different players for their defensive prowess: Daiden Gilmore and Austin Bryant, who each picked up 1.5 sacks apiece. Another thorn in Eastland Christian's side was Gilmore, who picked up 1.5 sacks and made six total tackles (2.5 for loss).
Sports Leadership & Management dropped their record down to 3-6 with the defeat, which was their third straight on the road. Those road losses can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 32.7 points over those games. As for Merritt Island Christian, their win bumped their record up to 8-1.
Sports Leadership & Management took a serious blow against Merritt Island Christian in their previous meeting back in August, falling 48-6. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Spartans were down 42-0.
