Football Preview: Haxtun Fightin' Bulldogs vs. Mancos Bluejays
Haxtun has won eight straight games at home (dating back to last season), while Mancos has won eight straight on the road also dating back to last season, but those streaks won't matter much on Saturday. The Haxtun Fightin' Bulldogs will welcome the Mancos Bluejays at 1:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Haxtun is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They took their game with ease, bagging a 54-8 win over Sanford. With the Fightin' Bulldogs ahead 48-8 at the half, the match was all but over already.
Zach Statz was his usual excellent self, rushing for 141 yards and four touchdowns on only six carries. His longest rush was for an incredible 72 yards.
Haxtun was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 390 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 153 rushing yards in 15 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Haxtun wouldn't let Sanford keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Haxtun can thank Coleman Firme and Bret Kanode for forcing both of them.
Meanwhile, Mancos faced Byers in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Saturday. Mancos was the clear victor by a 44-20 margin over Byers. Mancos' victory was all the more impressive since the Bulldogs were averaging only 13.82 points allowed on the season.
Mancos relied on the efforts of Brandon Vannest, who threw for 225 yards and four touchdowns while completing 72.7% of his passes, and Jonah H Ritter, who gained 188 total yards and three touchdowns.
Haxtun's win bumped their record up to 10-1. As for Mancos, their victory bumped their record up to an identical 10-1.
Saturday's matchup might be decided in the on the ground. Haxtun has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 329 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Mancos struggles in that department as they've been averaging 269.9. It's looking like Saturday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Haxtun was dealt a bruising 40-0 defeat at the hands of Mancos when the teams last played back in November of 2023. Will Haxtun have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
