Soccer Game Preview: Buchanan vs. Clovis North

Buchanan is 0-7 against Clovis North since May of 2021 but things could change on Thursday. The Buchanan Bears will head out on the road to take on the Clovis North Broncos at 6:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Buchanan is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. While the 2-2 score might suggest a draw, it was Buchanan who was credited with the win. Buchanan got it done in the shootout by posting seven goals to Madera South's six. Given the Bears' advantage in MaxPreps' California soccer rankings (they are ranked 35th, while the Stallions are ranked 174th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Carter Brandl and Jeremiah Hernandez scored both of Buchanan's goals, bringing their combined season tally to nine goals.

Buchanan will be up against a hot Clovis North squad: the team just extended their winning streak to eight. Clovis North's defense stepped up to hand McLane a 2-0 shutout on Tuesday. That's two games straight that the Broncos have won by exactly two goals.

The victory made it two in a row for Buchanan and bumps their season record up to 16-3. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they scored six goals over those two matches. As for Clovis North, their win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-1.

Buchanan suffered a grim 6-1 defeat to Clovis North in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Can Buchanan avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.