The DeLand Bulldogs will head out on the road to face off against the Lake Gibson Braves at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.
DeLand is headed into Friday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Friday. They lost 55-35 to University.
Despite their defeat, DeLand saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Gardner Nordman, who threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 35 yards, was perhaps the best of all.
Even though they lost, DeLand was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 333 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 154 rushing yards in nine consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, a win for Lake Gibson just wasn't in the cards on Friday as the team wasn't able to take the lead at any point. They came up short against Sebring, falling 43-22. The Braves gained 69 more yards on the day, but it was the Blue Streaks that made the best use of them.
Like DeLand, Lake Gibson lost despite seeing results from several players. Adonis Cuyler led the charge by picking up 136 receiving yards and a touchdown. Collin Henderson was another key player, having thrown for 391 yards and three touchdowns.
DeLand's loss dropped their record down to 4-4. As for Lake Gibson, they dropped their record down to 3-5 with the defeat, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season.
Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. DeLand has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 245.6 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Lake Gibson, though, as they've been averaging only 73.9. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
DeLand suffered a grim 28-7 defeat to Lake Gibson in their previous meeting back in May of 2021. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point DeLand was down 28-7.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
