Football Game Preview: Las Animas Trojans vs. Rocky Ford Meloneers

The Las Animas Trojans are taking a road trip to challenge the Rocky Ford Meloneers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.

Las Animas is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Colorado's top teams: McClave, who was ranked fourth at the time (Las Animas was ranked 14th). The Trojans took a blow against the Cardinals on Friday, falling 52-24. The Trojans were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 30-8.

Las Animas' defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Jerome Ethridge, who picked up 85 receiving yards and two scores, and Orion Martinez, who gained 126 total yards and a touchdown. Ethridge didn't just play on offense: he also made seven total tackles and defended one pass.

Meanwhile, the third road contest was the charm for Rocky Ford, as they earned their first away victory of the season. They blew past Swink 40-12 on Thursday. The score at the end of the third wound up being the final score as the Meloneers just coasted through the last quarter.

Rocky Ford moved to 3-4 with that win, which also ended their three-game losing streak. As for Las Animas, their loss was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 5-2.

Everything came up roses for Las Animas against Rocky Ford in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 54-16 victory. In that game, the Trojans amassed a halftime lead of 38-8, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.