Preview: Robinson at Alonso

Photo I. Hanewicz

Wide receiver Iyan Mitchell (’16) runs the ball into the end zone for one of his three touchdowns of the night.

Bailey Adams, Sports Editor

The injury-ridden Knights (3-3) will hit the road on Friday night to take on Alonso (3-3) in their final non-district matchup of the season.

REWIND: Alonso got the best of Robinson back in 2008 by a score of 35-0. The Knights totaled just 47 yards, rushing for -20.

PLAYERS TO WATCH (Alonso):
Raj Balenger (’16)– Balenger made headlines this past offseason for a one-handed catch he made during a wide receiver drill, but hasn’t stood out in the box scores this season for his work on offense. However, his play on defense has been strong. He leads the Ravens with 40 tackles (28 solo), good for an average of eight tackles per game. Balenger has two forced fumbles on the year for a defense that has remained formidable year-in and year-out.

Derrick Walker (’16)– The Ravens’ offense has largely been centered around Walker so far in 2015. He has rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns on 64 carries in addition to his 124 receiving yards on eight catches. His production doesn’t stop there, as he has put together a strong first half of the season on special teams as well.

PLAYERS TO WATCH (Robinson):
Iyan Mitchell (’16)– Regardless of who has taken snaps at quarterback throughout the first six games this season, Mitchell has been the primary target. He leads the team with 318 yards and two touchdowns on 21 catches. With some big games coming up on the schedule, he is poised to break out for a game reminiscent of his 159-yard, three-touchdown performance against Pinellas Park earlier this year.

J.J. Henderson (’16)– On the other side of the field, Henderson remains a good target for Robinson quarterbacks. He has put up 166 yards and two touchdowns on just eight catches this season. Henderson has found a nice role on the defense as well, racking up 22 tackles (13 solo), two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.

Kickoff for Friday night’s matchup is set for 7:30 p.m. at Ravens Stadium on the campus of Alonso High School (8302 Montague St, Tampa, FL 33635).