Football Game Preview: Northwest Christian Crusaders vs. Mohave Thunderbirds + How To Watch

Two dominant signal callers in Laki Wallwork and Joe Yoney are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Northwest Christian Crusaders are taking a road trip to face off against the Mohave Thunderbirds at 7:00 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.

Northwest Christian is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They managed a 52-46 victory over Walden Grove. The win almost wasn't to be: the Crusaders were down 39-17 in the third quarter.

Conner Main had a dynamite game, picking up 157 receiving yards and one touchdown. He showed off some serious burst, cutting upfield on a catch for 64 yards.

Meanwhile, Mohave entered their tilt with La Joya Community last Friday with four consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with five. They blew past the Fighting Lobos, posting a 62-0 victory. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Thunderbirds' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Arizona football rankings (they are ranked 44th, while the Fighting Lobos are ranked 184th).

Northwest Christian better focus on containing Deegan Perry and Alejandro Ruiz as the pair were huge in Mohave's win. Perry rushed for 83 yards and one TD, while Ruiz picked up 45 receiving yards and a pair of scores. Ruiz also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making two total tackles and defending two passes in addition to snagging an interception which he returned one-yard for a touchdown.

Mohave didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited La Joya Community to a completion percentage of just 38.9%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from two players: Yoney and Ruiz, who each logged two passes deflected. Mohave has been improving in that area: they had allowed a completion percentage of 0.65 earlier this season, but they've only allowed one of 0.65 in their last three games.

Mohave didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Yoney and Ruiz. Yoney has been hot, having also posted three or more passing touchdowns the last six times he's played. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

Northwest Christian's record is now 7-4. As for Mohave, their record now sits at 8-2.

Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Northwest Christian has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 158.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Mohave struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 216.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup 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.