Preview: Chaparral Pumas vs. Norco Cougars
Chaparral is 1-0 against Norco since October of 2022, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Chaparral Pumas will head out on the road to face off against the Norco Cougars at 7:00 p.m. Norco took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Chaparral, who comes in off a win.
Even though Murrieta Valley scored an imposing 35 points on Friday, Chaparral still came out on top. Chaparral won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by Murrieta Valley 36-35.
Chaparral's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Jayce Venable, who rushed for 86 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries, and Dash Beierly, who threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Venable was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 64 yards.
Meanwhile, Norco's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their third straight loss. They took a 33-24 hit to the loss column at the hands of Roosevelt.
Despite the defeat, Norco saw an underclassman step up: Trevor Schneider rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown.
Chaparral's victory on Friday bumped their record up to 5-3. As for Norco, their loss was their eighth straight on the road (dating back to last season), which dropped their overall record down to 3-5.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday' matchup: Chaparral has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 363.9 total yards per game. It's a different story for Norco, though, as they've been averaging only 243.1 per game. Will Chaparral be able to march up the field at their leisure again, or will Norco flip the ?
Chaparral took their win against Norco when the teams last played back in October of 2022 by a conclusive 48-28. The rematch might be a little tougher for Chaparral since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
