The Gila Ridge Hawks will be playing at home against the Estrella Foothills Wolves at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Gila Ridge's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last five games.
Gila Ridge is headed into the matchup after thoroughly thrashing Cibola: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Hawks blew the Raiders out of the water with a 45-0 final score. The Hawks have beaten the Raiders the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Raiders has come to flipping the script.
Isaac Soliz
| 10/31/25 vs Cibola | 326 |
| 09/19/25 vs Northwest Christian | 253 |
| 09/26/25 @ St. Mary's | 233 |
| 09/05/25 vs Greenway | 202 |
| 10/09/25 vs Kofa | 192 |
Gila Ridge's win two weeks ago was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Isaac Soliz, who threw for 326 yards and four TDs while completing 81% of his passes. Those 326 passing yards gave Soliz a new career-high. Gabriel Cota was in the mix too, providing Gila Ridge with two scores.
Gila Ridge didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Cibola to a completion percentage of just 45.5%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from five players: Kameron Potter, Axcel Labady, Logan Whitley, Gage Hansen, and Christopher Inglett, who each logged one passes deflected. Given Soliz's standout performance, it's clear Cibola's secondary just wasn't on the same level.
Gila Ridge didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Potter and Drake Phillips. Potter is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made nine or more in each of the last three games he's played. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Estrella Foothills had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They skirted past Sahuaro 17-14. The victory almost wasn't to be: the Wolves were down 14-0 in the second quarter.
Gila Ridge better focus on containing Shawn Ellison and Jacob Rawls as the pair were huge in Estrella Foothills' win. Ellison picked up 135 receiving yards and one touchdown, while Rawls threw for 105 yards and one TD.
One reason for the win was Estrella Foothills' imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank two different players for their defensive prowess: Xander Teeter and Rudy Martinez, who each picked up 0.5 sacks apiece.
Gila Ridge's record is now 9-1. As for Estrella Foothills, their record now sits at 8-3.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Gila Ridge has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 177.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Estrella Foothills struggles in that department as they've been averaging 149.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Gila Ridge skirted past Estrella Foothills 28-26 in their previous matchup back in October of 2019. Do the Hawks have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Wolves turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
