Preview: Beckman Patriots vs. Irvine Vaqueros
The Beckman Patriots will be playing at home against the Irvine Vaqueros at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Beckman is coming into the game hot, having won their last four games.
Beckman had a rough season last year, but they looks ready to turn that poor record around this year. They were the clear victor by a 31-7 margin over University. The result was nothing new for Beckman, who have now won six matches by 21 points or more so far this season.
Austin Shepard was the offensive standout of the contest as he rushed for 69 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries, and also threw for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Irvine didn't have too much breathing room in their match against Woodbridge on Friday, but they still walked away with a 14-9 win. Given Irvine's advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 237th, while Woodbridge is ranked 573rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
The critical scores for Irvine came from Gavin Walker and Brandon Figueroa.
Their wins bumped Beckman to 7-1 and Irvine to 5-3.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Thursday's match: Beckman has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 165.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Irvine struggles in that department as they've been averaging 152.2 per game. It's looking like Thursday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Beckman came up short against Irvine in their previous matchup back in September of 2022, falling 13-0. Will Beckman have more luck at home instead of on the road?
