The Solanco Golden Mules will venture away from home to take on the Garden Spot Spartans at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Solanco's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points every time they've taken the field this season.
On Friday, Solanco was fully in charge, breezing past Fleetwood 49-13. With the Golden Mules ahead 35-0 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Solanco got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Kris Burgos-Wise out in front who rushed for 102 yards and a pair of TDs. Burgos-Wise showed off some serious burst, cutting through the defense on one rush that went for 66 yards. Chase Sensenig was another key player, rushing for 45 yards and one score.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Solanco was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 297 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 295 rushing yards in six consecutive games.
Special teams also played a big role in the game for Solanco, adding 13 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Eric (Cook) Koch, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Garden Spot was not the first on the board on Friday, but they got there more often. They strolled past Manheim Central with points to spare, taking the game 31-14. The victory was nothing new for the Spartans as they're now sitting on three straight.
This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Gabe Martin and Andrew Pemberton. Martin rushed for 116 yards while picking up 7.3 yards per carry while Pemberton gained 112 total yards and two touchdowns. Martin is becoming a predictor of Garden Spot's success: when he posts at least 80 rushing yards the team is undefeated (and 1-4 when he doesn't).
Solanco's record now sits at 8-1. As for Garden Spot, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Solanco has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 320.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Garden Spot struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 163.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Solanco beat Garden Spot 35-27 in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Golden Mules since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
