Football Game Preview: Independence Falcons vs. Porterville Panthers + Official Tickets

The Independence Falcons are taking a road trip to square off against the Porterville Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Independence is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They walked away with a 34-27 win over Madera.

Gunter Golla Iii

Passer Rating

08/28/25 vs South	149.3
08/22/25 @ Pioneer Valley	133
09/05/25 @ Centennial	126.6
09/12/25 @ Stockdale	123.5
11/07/25 vs Madera	120.4
+ 6 more games

Gunter Golla Iii had an outrageously good game as he threw for 271 yards and four touchdowns, and also rushed for 49 yards. His passing game has become a key predictor of Independence's success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 110 or higher, but only 2-4 otherwise.

Independence didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Jeffery Smith and Jakhai Ervin. Smith has been hot recently, having also posted at least one defended passe the last three times he's played.

Meanwhile, Porterville came tearing into Friday's matchup with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 35 points), and they left with even more momentum. They breezed past the Wolf Pack to the tune of 42-14. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Panthers' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 172nd, while the Wolf Pack are ranked 550th).

Independence's victory bumped their record up to 7-4. As for Porterville, their win bumped their record up to 9-2.

Everything went Independence's way against Porterville when the teams last played back in November of 2022, as Independence made off with a 28-7 victory. Will the Falcons repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.