The Berthoud Spartans are taking a road trip to challenge the University Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Berthoud will head out to face University after giving up their first home loss of the season on Friday. The Spartans were dealt a 38-6 defeat at the hands of Resurrection Christian. Having soared to a lofty 35 points in the game before, the Spartans couldn't push the score so high this time.
Brody Hall put forth a good effort for the losing side as he rushed for 88 yards and one touchdown.
Even if they lost, Berthoud's defensive line still kept up the pressure with three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Ryan Callies, Drake Vining, and Rhys Sattler, who each picked up one sack apiece.
Meanwhile, University played in-conference for the first time on Friday and got just the result they were looking for. They put the hurt on Valley with a sharp 28-6 win. The Bulldogs haven't had any issues with the Vikings recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Berthoud better keep an eye on Michael Kelly. He was instrumental in University's win, rushing for 164 yards and one TD while picking up 10.3 yards per carry. Those 164 rushing yards gave Kelly a new career-high.
University didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Valley to a completion percentage of just 22.2%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from two players: Will Kirtley and Ayden Arellano, who each logged one passes deflected. Sadly, that's becoming something of a trend for University; they were averaging 59.2%completion percentage earlier this season, but in their last three contests they've fallen to only 59.2%.
University didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Angel Orduno Arciniega, Dominic Chacon, and Dylann Celestine Perez picked up one apiece.
University now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Berthoud, they now have a losing record of 3-4.
Berthoud was able to grind out a solid win over University in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, winning 17-7. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Spartans since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
