Preview: Vela Sabercats vs. Rowe Warriors
After two games on the road, Vela is heading back home. They will take on The Rowe Warriors at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Vela knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past four games -- so hopefully Rowe likes a good challenge.
Vela put the finishing touches on their sixth blowout victory of the season on Friday. They blew past Palmview, posting a 35-2 victory on the road. Given Vela's advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 397th, while Palmview is ranked 1001st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Jamal Polley was his usual excellent self, rushing for 183 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 9.6 yards per carry. Polley was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 61 yards. Another player making a difference was Myles Lopez, who threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 33 points the game before, Rowe were a bit more limited in their matchup on Friday. They fell just short of McAllen by a score of 9-6.
Vela's win was their fifth straight on the road, which bumped their overall record up to 8-1. That said, the team wasn't facing the toughest opposition over that stretch, as it included 0-9 Juarez-Lincoln and 2-7 Palmview (their opponents had an average overall winning percentage of 33.3% over those games). As for Rowe, they now have a losing record at 4-5.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground as these two are both standouts in the run game. Vela has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 267.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Rowe struggles in that department as they've been averaging 198.7 per game. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Vela against Rowe in their previous meeting back in November of 2022 as the squad secured a 62-14 win. Will Vela repeat their success, or does Rowe have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
