Two dominant backs in Dominic Labisi and Matteo Tramutola are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Governor Livingston Highlanders will look to defend their home field on Saturday against the Voorhees Vikings at 1:00 p.m.
Governor Livingston fought the good fight in their overtime game against Johnson on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They were just a hair shy of victory and fell 21-20 to the Crusaders. The Highlanders' loss signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Despite the defeat, Governor Livingston had strong showings from Elijah Garcia, who rushed for 82 yards and one TD on only eight carries, and Parker Chatfield, who picked up 21 receiving yards and one score.
Meanwhile, Voorhees took their matchup on Friday with ease, bagging a 41-13 victory over North Plainfield. Considering the Vikings have won four contests by more than 22 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Governor Livingston better keep an eye on Sam Meekings. He was instrumental in Voorhees' win, throwing for 156 yards and three touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Voorhees' defense and their three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Tramutola, Dimos Maroulis, and Jaxon Garner, who each picked up one sack apiece.
The win made it two in a row for Voorhees and bumps their season record up to 5-1. The victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 25 points in those games. As for Governor Livingston, their loss dropped their record down to 3-3.
Saturday's game might be decided on the ground. Governor Livingston has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 173.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Voorhees struggles in that department as they've been averaging 182.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Governor Livingston didn't have too much breathing room in their contest against Voorhees in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, but they still walked away with a 50-46 win. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Vikings' Jackson Trevaskiss, who picked up 214 receiving yards and three scores. Now that he won't be playing on Saturday, will it be easier for the Highlanders to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.