The Northview Vikings will square off against the Diamond Ranch Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Northview is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last four games.
On Thursday, Northview didn't have too much trouble with Baldwin Park as they won 37-21. Given the Vikings' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 124th, while the Braves are ranked 413th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Northview's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jaishon Bledsoe led the charge by rushing for 76 yards and one score on only six carries, while also picking up 35 receiving yards and one touchdown. Robert Lucero was another key signal caller, throwing for 100 yards and a pair of TDs on only nine passes.
Northview's run defense was locked in: Baldwin Park could only muster zero yards per carry. The team can thank Miguel Guillen for the heroic effort on defense: he. Northview's run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 3.2 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 8.6 on average over their last five games.
Northview's defense didn't let Valentino May, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Jacob Cruz, Pedro Solorzano, and Matthew Gonzalez, who each picked up one sack apiece. Another thorn in Baldwin Park's side was Cruz, who picked up a sack, forced one fumble, and made eight total tackles (3.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Friday just wasn't the day for Diamond Ranch's offense. They were outmatched by San Dimas and fell 35-0. The Panthers haven't had much luck with the Saints recently, as the team has come up short the last five times they've met.
Northview will have to keep a close watch on Jalen Gallegos and Tristan Kinney, a pair of players who had a big impact on Diamond Ranch's prior game. Gallegos rushed for 101 yards, while Kinney rushed for 91 yards on only nine carries. Diamond Ranch is 2-1 when Gallegos posts 80 or more rushing yards, but 1-2 otherwise.
Diamond Ranch's defeat dropped their record down to 3-3. As for Northview, their win bumped their record up to 5-1.
Everything came up roses for Northview against Diamond Ranch when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 42-0 victory. Will the Vikings repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
