Football Game Preview: Hilltop Lancers vs. Montgomery Aztecs + How To Watch

Hilltop hasn't had much luck against Montgomery recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Lancers will challenge the Aztecs at 6:30 p.m. Hilltop will be strutting in after a victory while Montgomery will be coming in after a loss.

Montgomery will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Hilltop extended their winning streak to three on Friday. The Lancers strolled past Bonita Vista with points to spare, taking the game 28-10.

Lajuan Johnson

Rushing Yards (Career)

10/17/25 vs Bonita Vista	146
10/10/25 vs Southwest SD	138
09/26/25 vs Castle Park	59
08/28/25 @ El Cajon Valley	32
08/22/25 vs Coronado	23

Hilltop's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Lajuan Johnson led the charge by rushing for 146 yards on only 15 carries. Those 146 rushing yards gave Johnson a new career-high. Seven Tarkington got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Hilltop was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 247 rushing yards. They are a perfect 4-0 when they've run for more than 200 yards.

Hilltop didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Tarkington and Julian Moran. Micah Hopkins was another major factor on D, picking up a sack, making seven total tackles (3.0 for loss), and defending one pass.

Meanwhile, Montgomery came up short against Olympian on Friday and fell 29-21.

Montgomery's defeat dropped their record down to 5-3. As for Hilltop, their win bumped their record up to an identical 5-3.

Hilltop suffered a grim 35-10 defeat to Montgomery when the teams last played back in November of 2024. Can the Lancers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.