Payette hasn't had much luck against Homedale recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Pirates will welcome the Trojans at 7:00 p.m. Payette's defense has only allowed 6.8 points per game this season, so Homedale's offense will have their work cut out for them.
Last Friday, Payette was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 27-21 to Marsing. The loss was the Pirates' first of the season.
Darrien Pecunia
| 09/19/25 @ Marsing | 109 |
| 09/12/25 @ Nyssa | 106 |
| 08/22/25 @ Parma | 95 |
| 08/29/25 vs New Plymouth | 65 |
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Jay Ramirez, who rushed for 52 yards and a pair of scores. Darrien Pecunia helped out on the ground, rushing for 109 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Meanwhile, Homedale strolled into their game on Friday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Jerome 62-21. The matchup marked the Trojans' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Homedale's win came from a few key players Payette will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Chance Martell, who picked up 87 receiving yards and one TD, and also rushed for 80 yards and one touchdown. His longest rush was for an incredible 80 yards. Xavier Uranga was another key signal caller, throwing for 239 yards and three touchdowns on only 16 passes.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Homedale was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 255 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.
Homedale's win bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Payette, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 3-1.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Payette has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 201.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Homedale struggles in that department as they've been averaging 198.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Payette took a serious blow against Homedale in their previous matchup back in September of 2024, falling 59-7. That matchup was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Pirates were down 46-0.
