Elk Grove has been away from home for two games now, but on Friday they'll finally make their return. They will welcome the Laguna Creek Cardinals at 5:00 p.m. Elk Grove is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 41.3 points per game this season.
Last Friday, Elk Grove didn't have too much trouble with Chico on the road as they won 22-7. Given the Thundering Herd's advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 186th, while the Panthers are ranked 383rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
It was another big night for David Hale, who rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 carries. He is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last five games he's played dating back to last season.
Elk Grove was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 354 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 222 rushing yards in eight consecutive games dating back to last season.
Elk Grove wouldn't let Chico keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Elk Grove can thank Lucan Amituanai and V'Anthony Gonzalez for forcing both of them.
Meanwhile, Laguna Creek won against Franklin last Friday with 35 points and they decided to stick to that point total again on Friday. Laguna Creek won a match that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by Cosumnes Oaks 35-34. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Cardinals.
Armon Thorntona was a one-man wrecking crew for Laguna Creek as he rushed for 195 yards and three touchdowns. That's the most rushing yards Thorntona has posted since back in September of 2023.
Elk Grove pushed their record up to 4-2 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. As for Laguna Creek, their win bumped their record up to 3-4.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Elk Grove has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 356.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Laguna Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging 152.1. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
