The Fruita Monument Wildcats are taking a road trip to challenge the ThunderRidge Grizzlies at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Neither Fruita Monument nor ThunderRidge posted many points in their last games, so it might be the defenses that decide this one.
Fruita Monument is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Valor Christian on Thursday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Wildcats had to suffer through a 49-6 loss at the hands of the Eagles. The Wildcats were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 35-0.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when ThunderRidge and Castle View meet (three straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Thursday. The Grizzlies skirted past the Sabercats 13-10. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Grizzlies have posted against the Sabercats since October 31, 2019.
Fruita Monument better keep an eye on Caeden Reeder. He was instrumental in ThunderRidge's win, throwing for 193 yards and two TDs. Reeder's passing game has become a key predictor of the Grizzlies' success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 1-5 otherwise. Ryan Anderson handled things on the ground, rushing for 82 yards.
ThunderRidge didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Castle View to a completion percentage of just 29.4%. The team can thank Boss Brown for the heroic effort on defense: he. ThunderRidge wasn't nearly as limited: they posted one of 57.7%.
ThunderRidge's defense didn't let Hudson Rodarte, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Camden Neumann, Jacob Burget, and Dominic Falbo, who each picked up one sack apiece. Brown was another major factor on D, making 12 total tackles and defending one pass.
ThunderRidge's win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 4-5. As for Fruita Monument, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-5 record this season.
Fruita Monument beat ThunderRidge 28-21 when the teams last played back in November of 2024. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Grizzlies' Evan Olds, who rushed for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also picked up 66 receiving yards. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Wildcats to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
