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PREVIEW: Melissa travels to Crandall
The Melissa Cardinals have been on a roll this season. The Crandall Pirates have gotten into a routine of winning. These two teams face off on Friday night in their first district match of the season. VYPE DFW dives into what fans can look for in this matchup:
Melissa Cardinals (3-0)
On the hunt this season, the Melissa Cardinals have not posted a single loss. Having outscored their opponents by a combined 98 points in just three games, both sides of the ball are dominant for this Cardinals squad. In non-district play, the Cardinals posted victory after victory with wins over Argyle (50-14), China Spring (63-33), and Royse City (39-7).
Landen Brandow, Steven Hinkel, Alejandro Luna, Grant Taylor, Sayben Dukes, Rayyan Haider, Hayden Solomon, Jacob Wasserman, and others are among the athletes who are getting the job done in Melissa. As they travel to Crandall on Friday, they look to shut down the Pirates.
Crandall Pirates (2-1)
After a 64-10 week one loss to Forney, the Pirates bounced back with back-to-back victories over Kaufman (22-15) and Jacksonville (49-17). Hosting their first district game of the season, Crandall is looking to start with a huge upset over Melissa.
Julius Stoker, Zack Howard, Hayden Chaffin, Derrick Stephens, Joshua Smith, Hudson West, and more make up this team of athletes who are determined to stop Melissa in their tracks.
What To Expect
Crandall shouldn't be slept on. Producing big-time playmakers, the Pirates have grit and passion on Friday nights. They will undoubtedly put up a battle against Melissa. However, this Melissa squad just might be too powerful to overcome. Melissa sets the tone early and makes sure there is no room to catch up for their opponents. Be looking for the Cardinals to make Crandall work on Friday night.
Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Crandall.
LOOK AHEAD: Melissa Cardinals Football as strong as ever
With summer practices right around the corner and camps already underway or finished, the Melissa Cardinal football program is looking forward to getting their name back out there when it comes to being one of the top teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. VYPE DFW takes a glance into the future and walks fans through what fans can expect from this squad in the fall.
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A Look Back
Melissa football posted an incredible season last year while finishing at the top of their district with an undefeated 6-0 district record. The team even beat out usual district champion Argyle. Despite opening preseason play against tough opponents for tough losses, the Cardinals didn't hesitate to regroup and bounce back- even completing a task that many in the area couldn't do: not only defeat Argyle, but hold the Eagles scoreless.
Through playoffs, Melissa ended the seasons of North Dallas, Midlothian Heritage, and Waco La Vega, before falling to eventual state champions Stephenville in an extremely close, tooth-and-nail 24-21 battle.
Looking Ahead
The team has a lot of strong returners like Nigel Smith, Nathan Adejokun, and Jackson Ford who can be expected to make big names for themselves as they take the field in summer workouts and preseason games. With a team full of strong leadership, it shouldn't come as a surprise when the Cardinals show up strong for their first game of the season.
What To Expect
Another strong playoff push- full stop. The team isn't ready to slow down and no one should expect them to waiver from their goals. Melissa football is on the rise and can be expected to continue to fight for their moment in the spotlight.