Football Preview: Arroyo Grande Eagles vs. Bakersfield Drillers
Two dominant backs in Zack Tayman and Brison Abbott are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Arroyo Grande Eagles will venture away from home to square off against the Bakersfield Drillers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Arroyo Grande is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They secured a 27-22 W over Clovis West. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Eagles.
Caleb Clark was his usual excellent self, rushing for 193 yards on only 12 carries, while also picking up 49 receiving yards. Those 193 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. Arroyo Grande also got a significant boost from Tayman, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 128 yards.
Arroyo Grande was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 313 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Arroyo Grande didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Noah Webber.
Meanwhile, Bakersfield waltzed into their matchup on Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They took down the Panthers 23-7. Given the Drillers' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 102nd, while the Panthers are ranked 229th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
It was another big night for Abbott, who rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown while picking up 9.5 yards per carry. His rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his sixth straight game with at least 101 rushing yards.
Arroyo Grande pushed their record up to 9-2 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 34.2 points per game. As for Bakersfield, their record now sits at 10-1.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Arroyo Grande has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 191.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Bakersfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging 233.5. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
