Football Game Preview: Vista del Lago Ravens vs. Rancho Verde Mustangs

The Vista del Lago Ravens will challenge the Rancho Verde Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.

On Thursday, Vista del Lago came up short against Liberty and fell 26-19.

Despite the loss, Vista del Lago saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Josiah Dupree-Boyd rushed for 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also threw for 194 yards and one TD.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Rancho Verde). They blew past JW North, posting a 49-21 win. Given the Mustangs' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 234th, while the Huskies are ranked 542nd) , the win on Friday wasn't entirely unexpected.

Rancho Verde's win came from a few key players Vista del Lago will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was C. J. Thompson, who threw for 138 yards and three TDs while completing 77.8% of his passes. Gareon Galloway helped Thompson out on the ground, rushing for 68 yards and one score.

Rancho Verde didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Isaiah Gilliam and Kendrick Robinson.

Rancho Verde's victory ended a four-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 2-4. As for Vista del Lago, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-2.

Vista del Lago ended up a good deal behind Rancho Verde in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, losing 58-40. Will the Ravens have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.