Football Game Preview: Sonoraville Phoenix vs. Burke County Bears + How To Watch

After both having extra time off, the Sonoraville Phoenix and the Burke County Bears will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Sonoraville turned things around against Union County back in October. They blew past the Panthers 45-22. The Phoenix might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by 21 points or more this season.

Jayden Cruz

Rushing Touchdowns

10/24/25 vs Union County	3
10/03/25 @ North Murray	2
09/19/25 @ Murray County	2
09/12/25 vs Coahulla Creek	2
09/05/25 @ North Cobb Christian	3

Jayden Cruz was his usual excellent self, rushing for 194 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 8.8 yards per carry. That's the most rushing touchdowns he has posted since back in September. Braxen McMahan did his part to keep the secondary busy, picking up 87 receiving yards.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Sonoraville was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 279 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Union County only rushed for 150.

Meanwhile, Burke County's game last Friday was all tied up 14-14 at the half, but luckily for them it didn't stay that way. They strolled past Laney with points to spare, taking the game 34-20. The victory continues a trend for the Bears in their matchups with the Wildcats: they've now won three in a row.

Sonoraville better keep an eye on Sean Vandiver. He was instrumental in Burke County's win, rushing for 201 yards and a pair of scores on only 11 carries, while also throwing for 81 yards and one TD. Vandiver's longest rush was for an incredible 93 yards. Another player making a difference was Jamari Reeves, who rushed for 63 yards and one touchdown.

Burke County's record now sits at 8-2. As for Sonoraville, the win got them back to even at 5-5.

Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Sonoraville has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 151.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Burke County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 214.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.