Football Game Preview: Shiprock Chieftains vs. Zuni Thunderbirds

The Shiprock Chieftains will face off against the Zuni Thunderbirds at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Zuni took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Shiprock, who comes in off a win.

Shiprock took a 24-point loss the last time they faced off against Crownpoint, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Chieftains pulled ahead with a 19-18 photo finish over the Eagles on Friday. The Chieftains' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

Blake Begay

Passing Yards (Career)

10/17/25 @ Crownpoint	132
10/02/25 vs Wingate	105
09/26/25 vs Montezuma-Cortez	95
10/10/25 vs Tohatchi	67
09/19/25 @ Thoreau	65

Shiprock can attribute much of their success to Blake Begay, who threw for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 11 passes. Those 132 passing yards gave Begay a new career-high.

Meanwhile, Zuni was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They were dealt a 56-0 loss at the hands of Thoreau.

Shiprock's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-7. As for Zuni, their defeat dropped their record down to an identical 1-7.

Everything came up roses for Shiprock against Zuni in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 44-14 victory. Do the Chieftains have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Thunderbirds turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.