The Newberry Panthers will venture away from home to square off against the Fort White Indians at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Newberry is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Bradford on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Panthers lost 28-7 to the Tornadoes. The Panthers' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Fort White, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They blew past Zarephath Academy, posting a 49-6 win. The Indians' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Newberry better keep an eye on JOHN L LAWSON. He was instrumental in Fort White's win, rushing for 82 yards and three scores on only five carries. LAWSON's longest rush was for an impressive 68 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. X'ZAEVION GIBSON did his part to keep the secondary busy, picking up 84 receiving yards.
Fort White didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut JONATHAN BESSENT.
Fort White pushed their record up to 4-3 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 12.3 points on average this season. As for Newberry, they now have a losing record of 3-4.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Newberry has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 155.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Fort White struggles in that department as they've been averaging 154.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for Newberry against Fort White in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 44-10 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad 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
