Football Game Preview: Stratford Elks vs. Bovina Mustangs

The Stratford Elks will venture away from home to take on the Bovina Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Stratford will be strutting in after a win while Bovina will be coming in after a defeat.

Last Friday, Stratford was able to grind out a solid victory over Gruver, taking the game 40-27.

Stratford relied on the efforts of Alejandro Casas, who rushed for 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 11 carries, and Darius Jones, who rushed for 68 yards and two scores on only five carries. Jones got the majority of those rushing yards when he took off on a run that went for an incredible 66 yards.

Stratford didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Casas and Jones. Stratford received some extra help from Casas, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.

Meanwhile, Friday just wasn't the day for Bovina's offense. They were outmatched by Gruver and fell 54-0. The Mustangs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Stratford has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 40.2 points over those games. As for Bovina, their loss dropped their record down to 2-5.

Everything came up roses for Stratford against Bovina in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 63-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Elks since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.