Football Game Preview: Independence Falcons vs. Madera Coyotes + Official Tickets

The Independence Falcons will face off against the Madera Coyotes at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Independence's defense has only allowed 12.9 points per game this season, so Madera's offense will have their work cut out for them.

On Friday, Independence lost to Bakersfield on the road by a 21-7 margin. While losing is never fun, the Falcons can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 201st, while the Drillers are ranked 94th).

Even if they lost, Independence's defense still kept up the pressure with three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Jayden Gutierrez, Tristan Wright, and Rickey Johnson, who each picked up one sack apiece.

Meanwhile, Madera was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They were two points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 16-14 heartbreaker at the hands of Justin Garza. The matchup marked the Coyotes' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Despite the defeat, Madera saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Elias Mena threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 12.5 yards per attempt. Those 387 passing yards set a new season-high mark for Mena.

Madera's loss dropped their record down to 5-5. As for Independence, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-4.