Serrano is a perfect 3-0 against Barstow since August of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Diamondbacks will square off against the Aztecs at 7:00 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.
Last Thursday, Serrano made easy work of Burroughs and carried off a 40-14 win. The Diamondbacks haven't had any issues with the Burros recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive victory against them.
Issiah Romo
| 10/30/25 @ Burroughs | 212 |
| 09/20/24 @ Palm Desert | 185 |
| 11/29/24 vs St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy | 168 |
| 09/06/24 @ Yucca Valley | 127 |
| 10/04/24 vs Burroughs | 120 |
Issiah Romo was a one-man wrecking crew as he threw for 212 yards and three TDs on only 14 passes, and also punched in one rushing score. Those 212 passing yards gave him a new career-high.
Serrano's run defense was locked in: Burroughs could only muster 1.3 yards per carry. The team can thank Davy Feller for the heroic effort on defense: he. Serrano's ground attack was stronger, having averaged 3.9.
Serrano didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Steve Mendez, Romo, and Gilbert Vasquez picked up one apiece.
Meanwhile, Barstow never let their opponents score on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Adelanto 29-0. Given the Aztecs' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 228th, while the Saints are ranked 708th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Serrano better keep an eye on Nicholas Gaoa. He was instrumental in Barstow's win, rushing for 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 13 carries. Gaoa's longest rush was for an impressive 54 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Aloalii (Alo) Lealofi was another key player, rushing for 76 yards and one score on only nine carries.
Serrano's record is now 7-3. As for Barstow, their record now sits at 6-3.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Serrano has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 255.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Barstow struggles in that department as they've been averaging 208.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Serrano came out on top in a nail-biter against Barstow when the teams last played back in August, sneaking past 17-15. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was the Aztecs' Jarvis (JJ) Applewhite, who threw for 174 yards and one TD, and also rushed for 73 yards on only eight carries. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Diamondbacks still be able to contain Applewhite? There's only one way to find out.
