vs
| 10/11/24 - Home | 42-0 W |
| 10/13/23 - Away | 48-0 W |
| 10/14/22 - Home | 50-14 W |
Aquinas is a perfect 3-0 against Valley Christian since October of 2022 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Falcons are taking a road trip to challenge the Defenders at 7:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
As a matter of fact, Aquinas put up the most points they have all season on Friday. They claimed a resounding 75-27 victory over Ontario Christian. Given the Falcons' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 84th, while the Knights are ranked 803rd) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Charlie Reyes was his usual excellent self, rushing for 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only six carries, while also throwing for 38 yards and two TDs. Tyson Gaines was in the mix as well, providing Aquinas with two scores.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Aquinas was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 341 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since the start of last season.
Aquinas didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Caden Jones and Dannicco Louie. Louie also punched in three rushing touchdowns, marking his first of the season.
Meanwhile, Valley Christian had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 17 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They came out on top against the Eagles by a score of 35-26. The score was all tied up 14-14 at the break, but the Defenders were the better team in the second half.
Valley Christian's win came from a few key players Aquinas will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Sean Bouma, who picked up 120 receiving yards and one touchdown. He got the majority of those receiving yards when he pulled down a pass and took off for a gain of 93 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Oliver Boateng, who picked up 94 receiving yards and one TD.
Aquinas' record is now 5-1. As for Valley Christian, their record now sits at 4-2.
Friday's contest might be decided in the trenches. Aquinas has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 214.3 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Valley Christian, though, as they've been averaging only 76.7 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for Aquinas against Valley Christian when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 42-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Falcons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
