The Soquel Knights are taking a road trip to challenge the Palma Chieftains at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are still undefeated after eight games, but that won't be the case come Friday.
If Soquel beats Palma with 41 points on Friday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two games with that exact score. The Knights blew past Hollister, posting a 41-7 victory. The result was nothing new for the Knights, who have now won five contests by 21 points or more so far this season.
Sam Whelan
| 10/24/25 vs Hollister | 4 |
| 10/10/25 @ Alisal | 3 |
| 09/19/25 @ Aptos | 3 |
| 09/13/25 @ Carmel | 3 |
| 11/08/24 vs Aptos | 3 |
Sam Whelan produced another solid performance throwing for 273 yards and four TDs while completing 76.5% of his passes, and also rushing for 59 yards and one score on only five carries. Those four passing touchdowns gave him a new career-high. Keyandre Bailey was another key player, rushing for 81 yards and one touchdown.
Soquel didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Luke Santee and Wyatt Nichols.
Meanwhile, Palma got the win against North Salinas on Friday by a conclusive 37-14. With the Chieftains ahead 23-0 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Soquel better keep an eye on Eli Dukes. He was instrumental in Palma's win, rushing for 223 yards and five scores while picking up 12.4 yards per carry.
Palma was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 297 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 268 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Soquel's record now sits at 8-0. As for Palma, their record is now an identical 8-0.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Soquel has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 170.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Palma struggles in that department as they've been averaging 332.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Soquel strolled past Palma in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a score of 32-14. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Knights since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
