Football Game Preview: Bolsa Grande Matadors vs. La Quinta Aztecs

For the first time this season, Bolsa Grande will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will welcome the La Quinta Aztecs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Bolsa Grande took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Saturday. They took down Channel Islands 28-13. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Matadors as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.

Bolsa Grande relied on the efforts of Mikey Haley, who rushed for 179 yards and two scores on only nine carries, and Daymien Sanchez, who rushed for 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 12 carries. Haley's longest rush was for an incredible 96 yards.

Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Bolsa Grande proved: they limited Channel Islands to a paltry 3.3 yards per carry. While four picked up at least five total tackles, Oscar Escobedo stood above the rest. He forced one fumble and made five total tackles. Bolsa Grande didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 10.1.

Bolsa Grande didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Nam Pham, Nathan Bautista, and Dylan Nguyen picked up one apiece.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask La Quinta). They put the hurt on Compton Early College with a sharp 34-14 victory on Friday.

La Quinta's win bumped their record up to 3-1-1. As for Bolsa Grande, their victory bumped their record up to 2-3.

Bolsa Grande took their win against La Quinta in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a conclusive 48-26 score. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Aztecs' Cooper Starnes, who rushed for 114 yards and three TDs. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Matadors to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.