Football Game Preview: Apple Valley Sun Devils vs. Hesperia Scorpions

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Previous Games

10/11/24 - Home	21-3 W
11/03/23 - Away	35-32 W
10/05/23 - Away	14-15 L
10/14/22 - Home	37-7 W
10/15/21 - Away	51-0 W
+ 5 more games

Apple Valley has gone 9-1 against Hesperia recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. After each having a week off, the two teams will shake off the rust and duke it out at 7:30 p.m. Apple Valley is coming into the contest on a three-game losing streak.

Last Friday, Apple Valley came up short against El Camino and fell 17-7.

Apple Valley's defeat came about despite a quality game from Noah Hardeman, who picked up 74 receiving yards and one TD, and also rushed for 35 yards.

Meanwhile, Hesperia humbled Eisenhower with a 35-7 victory.

Apple Valley better keep an eye on Zamar Malveaux. He was instrumental in Hesperia's win, rushing for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 11 carries. Malveaux is crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 124 every time he's taken the field this season. Da'Lon Williams also deserves a mention for his punt return touchdown.

Hesperia was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 226 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 226 rushing yards in four consecutive matchups.

Hesperia's defense made their presence known, laying out Elijah Necochea. three times. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Christopher Diaz, Frank Gonzales, and Alex Garcia, who each picked up one sack apiece. Another thorn in Eisenhower's side was Rocky Balbuena, who forced one fumble and made ten total tackles.

Apple Valley now has a losing record of 2-3. As for Hesperia, their record now sits at 4-1.

Apple Valley strolled past Hesperia when the teams last played back in October of 2024 by a score of 21-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Sun Devils since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.