Patriot is 1-9 against Ramona since October of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. After each having a week off, the two teams will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Patriot proved they can win big on September 11th (they won by 23) and last Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They won a game that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by Shadow Hills 52-51. The Warriors' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
A big part of Patriot's victory came down to the chemistry between Nathan Villanueva and his top target Jordan Tapia. Villanueva rushed for 175 yards and one touchdown while Tapia picked up 43 receiving yards and one TD.
Patriot was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 406 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 152 rushing yards in 13 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Patriot, adding 14 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Joseph Martinez, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Ramona put another one in the bag last Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They breezed past Poly to the tune of 34-6. The Rams might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three matchups by 20 points or more this season.
Patriot better keep an eye on Lorenzo Sims. He was instrumental in Ramona's win, rushing for 177 yards and three scores while picking up 11.1 yards per carry. Sims is crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 174 every time he's taken the field this season. Michael White got in on the action too, returning a kick for a touchdown.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Ramona's defense and their three sacks. Moises Mendoza refused to say out of the backfield, picking up 1.5 sacks all by himself. Another thorn in Poly's side was Mendoza, who picked up 1.5 sacks and made 11 total tackles (5.0 for loss).
Patriot's record now sits at 4-1. As for Ramona, their record is now 5-0.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Patriot has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 306.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Ramona struggles in that department as they've been averaging 240.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Patriot lost to Ramona on the road by a decisive 26-7 margin when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Can the Warriors avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
