Sanger is a perfect 10-0 against Madera since October of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Apaches will take on the Coyotes at 7:00 p.m. Sanger will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more points each matchup than the last.
On Friday, Sanger was able to grind out a solid win over Edison, taking the game 36-27. The victory continues a trend for the Apaches in their matchups with the Tigers: they've now won seven in a row.
Kendale McGrew
| 10/17/25 vs Edison | 157 |
| 08/28/25 @ Hanford | 141 |
| 10/03/25 @ Bullard | 136 |
| 10/10/25 vs Justin Garza | 108 |
| 08/22/25 vs Dinuba | 106 |
| + 3 more games |
Kendale McGrew was his usual excellent self, rushing for 157 yards and a pair of scores. He is becoming a predictor of Sanger's success: when he posts at least 80 rushing yards the team is 4-1 (and 1-2 when he doesn't).
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Sanger was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 291 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 266 rushing yards in three consecutive games.
Sanger didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Bryan Valle, Leo Quiroz, and Ace Escalara picked up one apiece. Valle got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, while it was all tied up 14-14 at halftime, Madera was not quite San Joaquin Memorial's equal in the second half on Friday. They took a 50-46 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Panthers. Despite 83 more yards than the Panthers, the Coyotes couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.
Sanger will need to focus on slowing down Elias Mena, one of several Madera players who made an impact when they last played. He threw for 319 yards and four TDs while completing 71.4% of his passes, and also rushed for 107 yards on only 11 carries. Mena got the majority of those rushing yards when he took off on a run that went for an incredible 60 yards. Lawrence Flores was Mena's top target, picking up 151 receiving yards and one touchdown, while also punching in one score on the ground.
Madera has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-3 record this season. As for Sanger, their record now sits at 5-3.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Sanger has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 234.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Madera struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 233.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Sanger was able to grind out a solid win over Madera when the teams last played back in October of 2024, winning 35-28. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Coyotes' Joel Arellano, who threw for 296 yards and a pair of TDs, and also punched in one touchdown on the ground. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Apaches to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
