Preview: Mancos Bluejays vs. Fowler Grizzlies
Mancos has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against The Fowler Grizzlies at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Friday, Mancos never let their opponents score. They took their contest at home with ease, bagging a 64-0 victory over Norwood. Given Mancos' advantage in MaxPreps' Colorado football rankings (they are ranked first, while Norwood is ranked 47th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Mancos had a senior duo take command as Levi Martin rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns on only seven carries and Kail Wayman rushed for 84 yards and three touchdowns on only six carries. Miguel Derizotis was another key contributor, picking up 55 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Another reason for the win was Mancos' imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Leading the way was Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle and his two sacks.
Meanwhile, Fowler had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 23.5 points), and they went ahead and made it five on Saturday. They breezed by Dolores Huerta Prep on the road to the tune of 40-0.
Fowler's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Cael True led the charge by rushing for 110 yards and a touchdown on only nine carries, while also picking up 52 receiving yards. Another player making a difference was Gage Gottbehuet, who threw for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
Mancos' victory was their sixth straight at home (dating back to last season), bumping their overall record up to 8-1. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 54.7 points per game. As for Fowler, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's match: Mancos has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 296.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Fowler struggles in that department as they've been averaging 159.1 per game. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Mancos against Fowler in their previous meeting back in November of 2021 as the squad secured a 59-12 victory. Does Mancos have another victory up their sleeve, or will Fowler turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
