Lake County Sentinel
North Rangers perfect season continues slaying the Dragons 56-24
BY JOEY SCHNEIDER
STAFF
(EASTLAKE, OH) - The Eastlake North Rangers defeated the Lakeside Dragons 56-24 on Friday night at Carter Stadium in Eastlake, making history, and becoming the first team in the school’s 69 year history to start a football season 7-0. The Rangers were led by the RB/WR duo of junior King Mattice and sophomore Brycen Palmer. Mattice finished the game with four rushing touchdowns and Palmer had three including a team long 68-yard touchdown run.
The stadium was electric before the game even started as it was Senior Night. Every North football and marching band senior had their name called to thunderous applause and screaming from the crowd as they walked arm in arm with their families across the field. It would set the stage for what was a wild first half.
North won the toss and deferred to the second half. The first half was pure chaos as the Rangers wanted to set the tone early, but Lakeside looked to play spoiler for the Rangers big night, as the Dragons would drive 80-yards and score the game’s first touchdown as Dragon quarterback JJ Murphy found wide receiver Jorge Diaz for a 10-yard score. The Dragon’s, however, failed their two-point conversion attempt. North would score two plays later on Brycen Palmer's first touchdown run, a 68-yard dash to the endzone.
North had the first big stop of the game as junior John Murphy strip sacked the Dragon's and Brycen Palmer would find the endzone again, this time, a seven-yard score. North's defense seemed to settle in as the Rangers forced a punt. North junior Sae'ion Law would scramble for a 49-yard touchdown on the drive, putting the Ranger's in the drivers set winning 21-6.
Lakeside, wanting to put the pressure back on the Ranger's scored on an 80-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Masceo Boles with 2:29 left in the first quarter. The Dragon's would again fail the two-point conversion. North never flinched and scored on the next drive with King Mattice's first touchdown, a three-yard rumble to end the first quarter leading 28-12
The Dragon's started the second quarter the same as the first, with fireworks, as on the first play JJ Murphy connected with Dae'Vean Gaines for a 60-yard touchdown pass. North would again settle in on defense as junior defensive end Cortez Dimming III led the Ranger's in not allowing another score by the starters. The rest of the second quarter was all Ranger's as they would score the next three touchdowns. Two by King Mattice and one by Brycen Palmer, as the Ranger's took a 31 point lead into halftime, winning 49-18, and starting the running clock in the second half.
North would score one last time in the third quarter with 4:10 remaining, on a five-yard touchdown by King Mattice, his fourth of the game, and then put in their reserve players. Lakeside scored their final touchdown on an eight-yard pass and catch between JJ Murphy and junior Jaylen Martin. The Ranger's would rush the ball the rest of the quarter winding down the clock and making history, winning 56-24 and improving to 7-0.
After the game North head coach Shawn Dodd had this to say about making history improving to 7-0, "It's not just huge for the players, but the kids in the hallways, the teaching staff. It brings a lot of excitement in the hallways. As a coach, as a staff you want to enjoy it, but you have to prepare and get ready for the next one."
The Ranger's will take their undefeated record to Madison next week as they take on the (2-5) Madison Blue Streaks, on Thursday, October 8th, with a 7:00 pm start time. Lakeside will be at home next week, looking for their second win of the season, hosting the (1-6) Lutheran West Longhorns. That game will be on Friday, October 9th, at 7 pm.
POSTED 10/03/2026 00:16
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