Football Preview: Mendota Aztecs vs. Firebaugh Eagles
Mendota and Firebaugh are an even 5-5 against one another since November of 2014, but not for long. The Mendota Aztecs will face off against the Firebaugh Eagles at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Mendota is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 26.9 points per game this season.
Last Friday, Mendota humbled Avenal with a 40-6 victory. The Aztecs' offense checked out after the first half but had enough points banked to take the game anyway.
Mendota's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ryan Preciado, who threw for 152 yards and two touchdowns on only nine passes. Hawk Garcia helped Preciado out on the ground, rushing for 42 yards and two touchdowns.
Mendota's defense stepped up as well, laying out the QB seven times. In that department, Bryan Ruiz was the leader with five sacks.
Meanwhile, Firebaugh's game on Friday was all tied up 14-14 at the half, but sadly for them it didn't stay that way. They took a 27-20 hit to the loss column at the hands of Dos Palos. The Eagles have struggled against the Broncos recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.
Despite the defeat, Firebaugh had strong showings from Isaac Ceja, who rushed for 61 yards and two touchdowns, and Arren Alaniz, who picked up 29 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Mendota's victory bumped their record up to 6-3. As for Firebaugh, they now have a losing record at 4-5.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Mendota has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 169.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Firebaugh struggles in that department as they've been averaging 165. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Mendota and Firebaugh were almost perfectly matched up in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, but Mendota suffered an agonizing 22-21 loss. Will Mendota have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
