The Cardinal Newman Crusaders will venture away from home to face off against the Bishop Verot Vikings at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Cardinal Newman is coming into the game hot, having won their last three games.
On Friday, Cardinal Newman needed a bit of extra time to put away West Boca Raton. They snuck past the Bulls with a 26-20 victory.
Cardinal Newman had a senior duo take command as Jyron Hughley rushed for 127 yards and one TD on only 13 carries and Phoenix Donghia rushed for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only ten carries. The bulk of those rushing yards came from one huge play: a run that gained an incredible 80 yards.
Cardinal Newman was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 223 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 176 rushing yards in 14 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, after only 12 points in their last matchup, Bishop Verot made sure to put some points up on the board against Gulf Coast on Friday. The Vikings claimed a resounding 42-0 win over the Sharks. Given the Vikings' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida football rankings (they are ranked 68th, while the Sharks are ranked 228th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Cardinal Newman better keep an eye on Deshon Jenkins Jr. He was instrumental in Bishop Verot's win, rushing for 145 yards and three scores on only six carries. That's the most rushing yards Jenkins Jr has posted since back in November of 2024. Bishop Verot also got help from Ayden Gonzalez, who showed off his sure hands for 86 receiving yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Bishop Verot's defense and their three sacks. In that department, Kymani Nicholas was the leader with two. He also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with six.
Cardinal Newman's record now sits at 6-2. As for Bishop Verot, the victory got them back to even at 4-4.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Cardinal Newman has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 229.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Bishop Verot struggles in that department as they've been averaging 154.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
