Hayden hasn't had much luck against Williams recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Lobos will be playing in front of their home fans against the Vikings at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Friday, Hayden blew past San Manuel, posting a 63-8 victory. The Lobos haven't had any issues with the Miners recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Kino Lorona was his usual excellent self, rushing for 328 yards and four scores on only 15 carries, while also picking up 68 receiving yards and one TD. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 82-yard run. Tyler Garner was another key rusher, rushing for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Hayden was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 494 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 218 rushing yards in four consecutive games.
Hayden didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Ryan Garner and Mario Hong.
Meanwhile, Williams was fully in charge on Friday, breezing past Red Rock 58-6.
Hayden better focus on containing Anthony Soto and Mario Pedraza as the pair were huge in Williams' win. Soto rushed for 99 yards and a pair of TDs on only seven carries, while Pedraza rushed for 62 yards and two scores. Those 99 rushing yards gave Soto a new career-high.
Hayden's victory bumped their record up to 5-0. As for Williams, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Hayden has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 333.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Williams struggles in that department as they've been averaging 242.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for Hayden against Williams in their previous matchup back in September of 2024, as the team secured a 68-0 win. Will the Lobos repeat their success, or do the Vikings have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
