Football Preview: Don Lugo Conquistadores vs. Chaffey Tigers
Don Lugo has been away from home for three games now, but on Friday they'll finally make their return. They will welcome the Chaffey Tigers at 7:00 p.m. The two teams are at an even 5-5 against one another since October of 2014, but likely not for long.
Last Friday, Don Lugo came up short against Cerritos and fell 31-24. Despite 65 more yards than the Dons, the Conquistadores couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.
Loss or not, Don Lugo got some senior leadership from Kalib Pacheco and Caleb Calvin. Pacheco threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns, while Calvin picked up 105 receiving yards and a touchdown. Calvin showed off some serious burst, connecting on a big catch for 58 yards.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Chaffey). They took their contest on the road on Friday with ease, bagging a 45-16 victory over Yucca Valley. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Tigers as it put an end to their four-game losing streak.
Chaffey found their leader in underclassman Alexis Almeida, who rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown while picking up 8.7 yards per carry. Those 139 rushing yards set a new season-high mark for Almeida.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Chaffey was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 471 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Don Lugo's defeat dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Chaffey, their victory ended a seven-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 2-4.
The upcoming game will be a clash of competing strengths. Don Lugo has relied on air attacks this season and has averaged 319 passing yards per game. Chaffey, on the other hand, has relied on a stout run game: they average 249.3 rushing yards per game. So which strategy will prevail on Friday? There's only one way to find out.
Don Lugo beat Chaffey 52-44 in their previous meeting back in October of 2023. Will Don Lugo repeat their success, or does Chaffey have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
