Football Preview: Dove Creek Bulldogs vs. Monticello Buckaroo
The Dove Creek Bulldogs will take on the Monticello Buckaroo at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Dove Creek is coming into the game hot, having won their last three games.
Dove Creek is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another highly-ranked state team: Escalante, who was ranked 18th at the time (Dove Creek was ranked 14th). Dove Creek blew past Escalante, posting a 50-6 win on the road.
Dove Creek's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Josh Kibel, who rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 carries, and also threw for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Backing up that air attack was Teagan Larimore, who rushed for 82 yards and a rushing touchdown.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Dove Creek was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 249 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 178 rushing yards in seven consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Dove Creek'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 Nicholas Aragon and Sheldon Gardner. Myles Ives was another major factor on D, picking up two sacks and making eight total tackles (5.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Monticello ended up a good deal behind Norwood on Friday and lost 32-14. The contest marked the Buckaroo's lowest-scoring matchup so far this season.
Dove Creek's win bumped their record up to 3-0. As for Monticello, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-2.
Everything came up roses for Dove Creek against Monticello in their previous matchup back in September of 2023, as the team secured a 58-18 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Monticello's Jay Mcdonald, who rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns on only 15 carries, and also threw for 94 yards and a touchdown. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Dove Creek to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
