Football Preview: Morenci Wildcats vs. Pusch Ridge Christian Academy Lions
Morenci has been on the road for two straight, but on Friday they'll finally head home. A feisty cat fight will be fought when Wildcats challenges the Pusch Ridge Christian Academy Lions at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Morenci's defense heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They walked away with a 12-0 win over Safford. That 12 point margin sets a new team best for the Wildcats this season.
Julian Aragon was his usual excellent self, rushing for 209 yards and a touchdown while picking up 10.0 yards per carry. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 116.7 rushing yards per game.
Morenci was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 282 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 158 rushing yards in eight consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Morenci didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Aundre Mccauley and Chris Lopez.
Meanwhile, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy entered their tilt with Sabino on Friday with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. They blew past the Sabercats 42-14 at home. The Lions might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by 28 points or more this season.
It was another big night for Jacob Newborn, who threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns while completing 78.9% of his passes, and also rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on only six carries. Nate Campa was Newborn's top target, picking up 98 receiving yards and a touchdown.
The victory got Morenci back to even at 3-3. As for Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-1.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Morenci has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 240.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Pusch Ridge Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 185.8. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Morenci was able to grind out a solid victory over Pusch Ridge Christian Academy in their previous matchup back in October of 2023, winning 14-7. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Pusch Ridge Christian Academy's Bubba Mustain, who rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown, and also threw for 195 yards on 18 of 36 attempts. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Morenci to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
