For the first time this season, Yreka will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. After each having a week off, they and the West Valley Eagles will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Yreka is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They blew past Mazama 49-14 last Friday. The win was all the more spectacular given the Miners' disadvantage in MaxPreps' football rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 700th in California, while the Vikings are ranked 89th in Oregon).
Yreka's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Cash Collier led the charge by rushing for 143 yards and three TDs on only seven carries. Another player making a difference was Jerome Walker, who rushed for 158 yards on only ten carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Yreka was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 395 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
On the other side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Yreka's defense and their three sacks. Noah Mannix was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up two himself. Trent Winter was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making nine total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, West Valley entered their tilt with Enterprise last Friday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They claimed a resounding 48-12 victory over the Hornets.
The match pitted two dominant backs against one another in Chayce Reed and Koby Johnson. Reed had a great game and rushed for 171 yards and three scores while picking up 7.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Johnson was balling out in the loss, rushing for 119 yards and one touchdown.
West Valley's win bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Yreka, their victory bumped their record up to an identical 4-1.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Yreka has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 210 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like West Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 247.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Yreka strolled past West Valley when the teams last played back in October of 2024 by a score of 17-0. Do the Miners have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
