For the first time this season, James Madison will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will face off against the Westfield Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Westfield took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on James Madison, who comes in off a win.
Westfield will challenge a team with plenty of momentum: James Madison extended their winning streak to three last Friday. The Warhawks simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat George C. Marshall 42-6. Given the Warhawks' advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia football rankings (they are ranked 25th, while the Statesmen are ranked 194th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
James Madison can attribute much of their success to Matthew Weiler, who rushed for 57 yards and two scores.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Westfield and Lake Braddock, and Lake Braddock kept the tradition alive. The Bulldogs took a 29-23 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Bruins on Friday.
James Madison will need to focus on slowing down PJ Sutherland, one of several Westfield players who made an impact when they last played. He rushed for 116 yards. Malachi Lee also deserves a mention for his punt return touchdown.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Westfield, racking up 11 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Lee, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Westfield's defeat dropped their record down to 3-2. As for James Madison, they now also have a winning record of 3-2.
James Madison was able to grind out a solid win over Westfield in their previous meeting back in November of 2024, winning 35-28. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Lee, who picked up 85 receiving yards and one TD, and also punched in one touchdown on the ground. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Warhawks still be able to contain Lee? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
