Football Game Preview: Delta Saints vs. Mira Loma Matadors

The Delta Saints will square off against the Mira Loma Matadors at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Last Friday, Delta came up short against Valley Christian and fell 40-32. The loss was the Saints' first of the season.

Chase Parkinson put forth a good effort for the losing side as he threw for 229 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also punched in one score on the ground.

Meanwhile, Mira Loma put their dominant defense on display in the team's third consecutive shutout on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Florin 54-0. Fans of the Matadors have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 20+ points.

Delta better keep an eye on Deangelo Keys. He was instrumental in Mira Loma's win, throwing for 241 yards and three TDs on only 11 passes, while also punching in one touchdown on the ground. That's the most passing yards Keys has posted since back in August of 2024. Keion Kado was Keys' top target, picking up 118 receiving yards and one score.

Special teams was a major factor in the game for Mira Loma, racking up 12 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Kado, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown. Another bright spot was a punt return touchdown from him.

Mira Loma's win bumped their record up to 3-0. As for Delta, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 3-1.

Everything went Delta's way against Mira Loma in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, as Delta made off with a 50-26 victory. In that game, the Saints amassed a halftime lead of 28-6, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.