The Port Charlotte Pirates will face off against the Zephyrhills Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Port Charlotte comes in on five and Zephyrhills on nine.
Port Charlotte proved they can win big last Friday (they won by 28) and on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They pulled ahead with a 28-27 photo finish over Naples.
It was another big night for Logan Flaherty, who threw for 208 yards and two TDs, and also punched in one touchdown on the ground.
Port Charlotte's run defense was locked in: Naples could only muster 1.8 yards per carry. The team can thank Kadyn Palmer for the heroic effort on defense: he. They're 2-1 when they shut down the run game so well.
Meanwhile, everything came up roses for Zephyrhills against Fivay on Friday as the squad secured a 46-7 win. Considering the Bulldogs have won seven matchups by more than 30 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Zephyrhills' win came from a few key players Port Charlotte will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Roe Miller, who rushed for 153 yards and three scores while picking up 9.0 yards per carry. He was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 51 yards. Patrick Harding was another key passer, throwing for 251 yards and three TDs while completing 75% of his passes.
Port Charlotte's record now sits at 8-1. As for Zephyrhills, their record is now 9-0.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Port Charlotte has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 164.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Zephyrhills struggles in that department as they've been averaging 205.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Port Charlotte beat Zephyrhills 28-18 in their previous meeting back in November of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Pirates since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
