This Friday, Sept. 26, Blackman plays Oakland, the number three team in the state, in a game that means a lot. It has been a long time since Blackman has beaten this team and last year, they came close and lost in heartbreaking fashion. 

 “This Friday means everything. It is our whole goal to change the culture,” said senior Isaac Leavy. “We want to win for the community not just for our record.” 

This is the most anticipated game of the year for Blackman due to Oakland being the best team on the schedule.  

Oakland lost a couple of key players from last year including 4-star running back Duane Morris and 3-star running back Tamari Hill. But their running back this year is 4-star Craig Tutt, who also plays safety. They also gained a key player this year from the Webb School, 4-star wide receiver Joel Wyatt. 

Blackman also has a couple of new key players including starting quarterback Jaevion Elliot, senior. Elliot has helped this offense improve as he has a good arm and great running ability with pocket awareness. Another impact player who transferred to Blackman is senior safety AD Davis. He has made an impact in this secondary, and he had a huge game against Riverdale. 

This Friday is a huge game for the Blaze, and the student section is a big part of the game.  

“It helps the team play better when we have a big student section because they love the support,” said senior Ed Jenkins.  

The theme is neon. Be there and be loud and support the Blaze.