The Navasota Rattlers will challenge the North Forest Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Navasota has given up an average of 27.2 points per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Navasota is headed into the game having just suffered their biggest loss since October 18, 2024 on Saturday. They were outmatched by Almeta Crawford and fell 51-14. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Rattlers' biggest loss of the season was also their lowest-scoring.
Despite the defeat, Navasota got top-tier performance from Daquan Pratt, who picked up 134 receiving yards and one TD. Pratt's longest reception was for an incredible 73 yards.
Even if they lost, Navasota's defensive line still kept up the pressure with 24 sacks. Mark McGinty led the group effort, picking up seven of those sacks all by himself. Evan Magallon was another major factor on D, picking up a sack, making 42 total tackles (10.0 for loss), and defending two passes in addition to snagging an interception.
Meanwhile, North Forest came tearing into Thursday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 56 points), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Spartans, posting a 38-9 victory. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by 29 points or more this season.
North Forest's win came from a few key players Navasota will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Lashun Gray, who threw for 169 yards and a pair of touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes. What's more, he racked up 160.4 passer rating, the most he's had since back in September. Traveon Terell also helped out with an impressive 86 receiving yards.
Navasota's loss dropped their record down to 7-3. As for North Forest, their record now sits at 8-2.
Everything came up roses for Navasota against North Forest when the teams last played back in October of 2019, as the squad secured a 42-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rattlers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
