Santa Teresa hasn't had much luck against Live Oak recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. After each having a week off, the two teams will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:15 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Santa Teresa's defense heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed two weeks ago. They took their game with ease, bagging a 51-0 victory over Oak Grove. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Saints' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 353rd, while the Eagles are ranked 849th).
Santa Teresa's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Salvador Guerrero, who threw for 176 yards and three TDs on only 13 passes. Brian Caldwell handled things on the ground, rushing for 106 yards.
Meanwhile, Live Oak put another one in the bag two weeks ago to keep their perfect season alive. They strolled past Pioneer with points to spare, taking the game 36-21. The 36-point effort marked the Acorns' lowest-scoring matchup of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Santa Teresa better keep an eye on Gage Jones. He was instrumental in Live Oak's win, rushing for 235 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 8.7 yards per carry. Jones is crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 161 every time he's taken the field this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Adrian Leal, who rushed for 35 yards and one score.
Live Oak was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 295 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 279 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
One reason for the win was Live Oak's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. The team can thank two different players for their defensive prowess: Anden Rogers and Messiah Luna, who each picked up 0.5 sacks apiece. Live Oak got some further help from Rogers: he picked up 0.5 sacks and made 12 total tackles.
Santa Teresa's record now sits at 5-0. As for Live Oak, their record is now an identical 5-0.
Santa Teresa won a contest that couldn't have been any closer when the teams last played back in October of 2024, slipping by Live Oak 17-16. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Saints since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
