Football Preview: Ralston Valley Mustangs vs. Valor Christian Eagles
The Ralston Valley Mustangs will head out on the road to square off against the Valor Christian Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are still undefeated after four-games, but that won't be the case come Friday.
Last Thursday, everything came up roses for Ralston Valley at home against ThunderRidge as the team secured a 39-2 victory. That looming 39-2 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Mustangs yet this season.
Ralston Valley's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Zeke Andrews, who threw for 233 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 30 yards and a touchdown. Colton Stratman was in the mix as well, providing Ralston Valley with two touchdowns.
Ralston Valley's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Matt Gates and Hunter Essenpreis. Gates is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made seven or more in the last four games he's played dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Valor Christian). They were the clear victor by a 46-20 margin over Mullen on Friday. Given the Eagles' advantage in MaxPreps' Colorado football rankings (they are ranked third, while the Mustangs are ranked 31st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
A big part of Valor Christian's victory came down to the chemistry between Dawson Olk and his top target Cash Spence. Olk threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns while completing 74.1% of his passes while Spence gained 138 total yards and three touchdowns. What's more, Spence also racked up 48 rushing yards, the mosthe's had since back in September of 2023. Another player making a difference was Chase Hanosh, who rushed for 49 yards and two touchdowns.
Ralston Valley's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-0. As for Valor Christian, their record is now 4-0.
We should be in store for an exciting game as the two teams have no problem gaining yardage. Ralston Valley has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 410.8 total yards per game. However, it's not like Valor Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 380.5. With a pair of commanding offenses duking it out, the defenses are going to have their work cut out for them.
Ralston Valley won a match that couldn't have been any closer in their previous matchup back in September of 2023, slipping by Valor Christian 22-21. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Valor Christian's Gabe Sawchuk, who rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Ralston Valley to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
