This Friday, Sept. 11, the Kennedale Wildcats will host the Sunnyvale Raiders in a non-conference game. This 4A matchup has all the potential factors to make this game a complete wildcard and here is why:

Kennedale and Sunnyvale have never shared the same field. 

As expected, emotions will run high for a Kennedale squad that will host their season debut this Friday night. 

A night that will feature parents screaming through their masks in the stands, as well as players sweating through their pads at the thought of their first game on varsity. 

One might even ask, what could be more nerve-wracking than a varsity high school football team’s season debut at home?

Here’s your answer: A fed up, Sunnyvale squad in desperate need of a win after losing the first two games of the season by 20+ points.

There are two sides of what Sunnyvale has made of their season so far. 

A defense that allowed Waco Connally to rush for over 260 yards in their season opener. The Raiders gave up Grand Canyon-esque gaps for Connally’s athletic backs to cruise right through to move the pylon.

Then in the following week, Sunnyvale let Melissa’s QB pass for over 370 yards. 

Week 3 will be a test for Sunnyvale as to where they can gain substance on the defensive end.

On the brighter side, the Sunnyvale offense has made improvements after the first two weeks of play, scoring 25 in Week 1 and 28 in Week 2. 

The Raiders found their offensive niche as a team that can do a little bit of everything. They have garnered production evenly so far between the run, the pass, and a capable special teams unit that can add three points on the board when needed.

The base of the offense stems from RB Emmanuel Arinze. The 6’2”, 210 LB running back has been a force on the ground for the Raider offense, racking up over 210 yards in their last matchup against Melissa. 

Another key contributor in moving the pylon for Sunnyvale has been Max McAda. McAda has worked as a utility guy for Coach John Settle, getting time at the quarterback, wide receiver, and strong safety positions. 

Kennedale will be entering their debut coming off a 7-4 record last season. The Wildcat offense of recent years is a lot like Sunnyvale’s in the sense of finding success through a little bit of everything. 

With two teams gearing up for a fight of unchartered waters and trading scrounges for offense, this matchup will come down to which squad can establish their defensive foundation first.

With that being said, here are my impact players of the game:

SUNNYVALE

• RB Emmanuel Arinze
  • With Sunnyvale entering the matchup against a defense they have never faced before, using Arinze as an anchor for their offense to gain consistant yardage on the ground will be paramount.
• Sunnyvale Defensive Leadership
  • With two games gone by without substantial production, Coach Settle must have someone step up on this side of the ball as a defensive leader.

KENNEDALE

• Kennedale Defense
  • What the Kennedale defense can do in their first outing against a Sunnyvale offense that will already be two games dialed in will be the difference between their first win or loss of the season on Friday night.

ARMANDO’S PREDICTION

Kennedale wins, 32-23

For live score updates and game analysis of Sunnyvale @ Kennedale, follow me on Twitter @ArmandoBarry6