The White Oak Roughnecks will venture away from home to square off against the Atlanta Rabbits at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
While White Oak didn't have the best season last year (they finished 0-10), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by Queen City 35-34. The win was just business as usual for the Roughnecks, who after four games remain undefeated this season.
White Oak got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Jaxsen Ludlow out in front who threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 85 yards. 80 of those passing yards were hauled in by Tysen McClain, who also brought in a receiving touchdown.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Atlanta). They took their contest on the road on Friday with ease, bagging a 60-17 win over Mount Vernon. The team's explosion on offense also rewarded the Rabbits with their most commanding win of the season.
Atlanta's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Markeylin Batton, who rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns, and also picked up 98 receiving yards and two touchdowns. With that strong performance, Batton is now averaging an impressive 101.5 rushing yards per game. Another player making a difference was Peyton Harrison, who threw for 235 yards and five touchdowns on perfect 9-for-9 passing.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Atlanta was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 290 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 154 rushing yards in three consecutive games.
Atlanta wouldn't let Mount Vernon keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force three fumbles. It was truly a group effort as Landon ?Boosie? Johnson, Caleb Francisco, and Francisco picked up one apiece.
White Oak's record is now 4-0. As for Atlanta, their record is now 3-1.
Friday's match might be decided in the on the ground. White Oak has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 217 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Atlanta struggles in that department as they've been averaging 166.8. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
White Oak took a serious blow against Atlanta when the teams last played back in October of 2023, falling 67-0. Can White Oak avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
