Coming in hot from a win last week, the Marco Island Manta Rays traveled all the way up to Keswick Christian Academy last Friday hoping to set a new winning streak for MIA’s football team. 

Kicking off the game the Crusaders received the ball, and the Rays defense forced a punt with Keswick, unable to make any positive yardage. This set the tone for the beginning of the game where both teams competed hard with solid defenses. The momentum switched when the Crusaders completed a pick-six.

MIA fell apart after this momentum shift, allowing Keswick to score 5 touchdowns in the first half through a combination of solid defense and explosive plays on offense. Despite some incredible runs by Ryan Winterick and Blake Dickson, the Rays were unable to make a successful drive and find the end zone. 

The Manta Rays found their stride in the second half of the game, making consistent progress on offense and holding off the Crusaders on defense. Through two offensive drives, the Rays were able to score 8 points in the second half and prevented the Crusaders from scoring any. The game ended with a final score of 35-8 with Keswick taking the victory.

Although the team suffered a tough loss this week, they plan on bouncing back at the next home game on Friday, October 6, 2023.