The Natchez Bulldogs will square off against the Ocean Springs Greyhounds at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Natchez has three straight wins, Ocean Springs has four straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Last Friday, Natchez was able to grind out a solid victory over Vicksburg, taking the game 14-6.
Natchez's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kaden Walton, who threw for 173 yards and a touchdown. 82 of those passing yards were hauled in by Ashton Minor.
Meanwhile, Ocean Springs faced Northwest Rankin in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. Ocean Springs and Northwest Rankin were almost perfectly matched up, but Ocean Springs suffered a 29-28 loss.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Will Smith, who rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown.
Ocean Springs wouldn't let Northwest Rankin keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Ocean Springs can thank Brody Saenz and Bryant Ausmer for forcing both of them. Saenz is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made nine or more in the last three games he's played dating back to last season. Ocean Springs got some further help from Jacolby Bailey: he made 11 total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Even though they lost, Ocean Springs was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 264 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 191 rushing yards in five consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Natchez's victory bumped their record up to 3-0. As for Ocean Springs, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-3.
Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. Natchez has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 181 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Ocean Springs struggles in that department as they've been averaging 256.3. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Natchez suffered a grim 39-14 defeat to Ocean Springs when the teams last played back in September of 2023. Will Natchez have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
