The Stone Tomcats will take on the Vancleave Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Stone will be looking to keep their four-game home win streak dating back to last season alive.
Stone will head into Friday's contest hoping to keep the good times rolling: they proved they can win big last Friday (they won by 32) but on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Laurel 24-21.
A big part of Stone's win came down to the chemistry between Zander Howard and his top target Avyon Stringfield. Howard threw for 202 yards and three touchdowns while completing 91.7% of his passes while Stringfield picked up 158 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Kylan Burnett helped Howard out on the ground, rushing for 127 yards.
One reason for the win was Stone's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Leading the way was Tariq Noel with two.
Meanwhile, after a string of three wins, Vancleave's good fortune finally ran out on Friday. They took a blow against Gautier, falling 47-14. The Bulldogs have struggled against the Gators recently, as their game on Friday was their ninth consecutive lost matchup.
The losing side was boosted by Hunter Harper, who rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown.
The victory got Stone back to even at 3-3. As for Vancleave, their defeat dropped their record down to an identical 3-3.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Stone has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 151.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Vancleave struggles in that department as they've been averaging 207. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Stone came up short against Vancleave in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, falling 27-23. Will Stone have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
