The Los Gatos Wildcats are taking a road trip to square off against the Wilcox Chargers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Los Gatos was handed a heart-breaking three-point defeat in their last matchup, but they sure didn't let that happen against Sacred Heart Prep on Friday. The Wildcats blew past the Gators 47-0. The contest was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point the Wildcats had established a 40-point advantage.
Los Gatos' win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Devonte Troutt, who rushed for 57 yards and a pair of scores. Troutt got the majority of those rushing yards when he took off on a run that went for an incredible 56 yards. Another big playmaker for Los Gatos was Lane Newman, who returned a punt for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Wilcox came tearing into Friday's game with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 38.7 points), and they left with even more momentum. They breezed past the Vikings to the tune of 42-13. Given the Chargers' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 165th, while the Vikings are ranked 522nd) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Los Gatos better keep an eye on Kai Imahara. He was instrumental in Wilcox's win, rushing for 121 yards on only five carries, while also throwing for 143 yards and two TDs while completing 76.9% of his passes. What's more, Imahara racked up 151.6 passer rating, the most he's had since back in September of 2024. Another rusher making a difference was Gilbert Padilla, who rushed for 75 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only six carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Wilcox was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 364 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 221 rushing yards in five consecutive matchups.
Wilcox didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Elijah Vallejo and Isiaiah Arevalos. Arevalos has become a key player for Wilcox: the team is undefeated when he posts at least one interception, but 1-2 otherwise.
Wilcox's record is now 4-2. As for Los Gatos, the victory got them back to even at 3-3.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Los Gatos has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 182.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Wilcox struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 232.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Los Gatos came up short against Wilcox when the teams last played back in November of 2024, falling 19-14. Can the Wildcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
