In a series where the last two games have been decided by a total of six points, Mangham looked like it was going to run away Friday with multiple two touchdown leads in the first half.

But Class 3A Jena found its footing and wore down the Dragons in the second half en route to a 64-48 track meet of a win to open the 2025 season.

LaSalle didn’t have the same experience as Delta Charter dominated in a 48-8 win.

Jena (1-0) hits the road again with a trip to Holy Savior Menard on Friday.

LaSalle (0-1), who lost on a Thursday, gets an extra day of preparation as Lakeside (1-0) visits Friday.

 

The Giants leaned on their ground game and physical offensive line in the second half to pull away from the Dragons.

Sedrick Wilson rushed for 371 yards and five touchdowns to pace an explosive offense that also featured big special teams plays on both sides.

Four of those touchdowns came in the second half, including jaunts of 47 and 94 yards that extended a six-point lead to 64-42 and put the game away.

Coach Jay Roark flashed the KNOE Game of the Week ball to his team after the win, proving the reputation that both of these programs as well as this matchup has built as KNOE sports director Aaron Dietrich made the trek from Monroe to Mangham to feature the contest.

Jena will certainly want to clean up things on defense and special teams as they face a Class 2A Menard squad that didn’t have many problems on either side of the ball in a 41-0 win against Northwood-Lena.

Menard quarterback Jake Vaughan took to the air with 226 passing yards and two touchdowns, mainly to receiver Matthew Hicks (6-142, 2 TDs).

The Eagles forced two turnovers and pitched its first shutout since Week 7.

Friday’s game will surely not be a shutout, at least on Jena’s side as 52-6 winners against Menard this past season.

 

Tuff Street slotted in as the primary quarterback for most of Friday’s loss to Delta Charter, and he did what he could with 64 rushing yards and 15 passing yards.

Wyatt King scored the team’s only touchdown as LaSalle managed 112 offensive yards.

Freshman quarterback Luke Lassiter missed on his three passes of the night, which included an interception.

If Lassiter can develop into the team’s starter, it allows Street to slide in at running back or receiver, making the Tigers more versatile.

LaSalle is hoping to avoid another slow start this season after the Tigers began 0-3 in 2024, a key factor in barely missing the playoffs.

One of those losses was to Lakeside in 46-22 fashion.

It’ll be an uphill climb in the second season of John Ware after he turned the Warriors around in his first season with an eight-win regular season.

Lakeside handled Arcadia, 30-14, in its opener.