The Bertie Falcons will take on the Martin County Gators at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Bertie gave up the first points last Friday, but they didn't let that get them down. They came out on top against First Flight by a score of 16-6. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Falcons.
Bertie's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged three passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Tayvien Ward and Zy'Miere Dempsey.
Meanwhile, Martin County had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 35.5 points), and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They claimed a resounding 47-8 victory over the Seahawks on the road. The contest was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point the Gators had established a 25 point advantage.
Martin County's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jysen Shepherd, who threw for 199 yards and three touchdowns on only 18 passes. Jah Sheppard helped Shepherd out on the ground, rushing for 92 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 carries.
Martin County wouldn't let Southside keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Kel'Javious Moore was the leader in that area as all came courtesy of his dominant performance. He is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made nine or more in the last four games he's played dating back to last season. Another thorn in Southside's side was Michael Lee Jr, who picked up a sack and made seven total tackles (3.0 for loss) which he returned for a touchdown.
The win got Bertie back to even at 2-2. As for Martin County, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the trenches. Bertie has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 149.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Martin County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 201.8. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Bertie came up short against Martin County in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, falling 41-32. Will Bertie have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
