The Oakleaf Knights will head out to challenge the Mandarin Mustangs at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams might be coming in a bit winded given these two teams combined for 873 yards in their previous games.
Mandarin will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Oakleaf extended their winning streak to three on Friday. The Knights came within four points of losing the streak, but they secured a 45-41 W against ED White.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Oakleaf's defensive line and their three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: DeQuan Beecham, Isaiah Pierre-Val, and Mason Thomas, who each picked up one sack apiece. Oakleaf got some further help from Jermaine Robinson: he made 21 total tackles (1.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Mandarin beat Fletcher 22-13 last Friday. The win continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the Senators: they've now won five in a row.
Oakleaf better keep an eye on Shaunqueze Foster. He was instrumental in Mandarin's win, rushing for 124 yards and one touchdown. That's the most rushing yards Foster has posted since back in October of 2024. Brysen Wright did his part to keep the secondary busy, picking up 89 receiving yards.
Mandarin was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 290 rushing yards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their rushing yard total in three consecutive contests.
Mandarin didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Mario Pratt and Tamajh Mitchell. Another thorn in Fletcher's side was Israel Ratliff, who made ten total tackles (2.0 for loss) and defended one pass.
Oakleaf's record is now 7-1. As for Mandarin, their record now sits at an identical 7-1.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Oakleaf has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 218.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Mandarin struggles in that department as they've been averaging 149.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Oakleaf came out on top in a nail-biter against Mandarin in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, sneaking past 17-14. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was the Mustangs' Knox Annis, who rushed for 67 yards and one TD on only five carries. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Knights still be able to contain Annis? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
