Football Game Preview: Taft Tigers vs. Salem Academy Crusaders + How To Watch

Tigers

Points

10/03/25 @ Scio	49
09/26/25 vs Dayton	14
09/19/25 @ Blanchet Catholic	42
09/12/25 vs Sisters	6
09/05/25 @ Kennedy	39

The Taft Tigers will head out to challenge the Salem Academy Crusaders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Taft is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 30 points per game this season.

Taft is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They took their matchup on Friday with ease, bagging a 49-13 victory over Scio.

Kol Tolan had another great game (as he tends to do), rushing for 130 yards and three touchdowns on only 14 carries, while also throwing for 117 yards on ten of 17 attempts. Corban Smith made the highlight reel by snagging an interception and taking it all the way to the house.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Taft was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 227 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 213 rushing yards in three consecutive games.

Taft didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Smith and Callen Ward. Smith got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Salem Academy fell victim to Dayton and their airtight defense on Friday. They were outmatched by the Pirates and fell 43-0. The Crusaders haven't had much luck with the Pirates recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.

Taft now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Salem Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-3.

Taft couldn't quite get it done against Salem Academy in their previous meeting back in October of 2023 as they fell 25-15. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.