The Inderkum Tigers will challenge the Ponderosa Bruins at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. Inderkum is coming into the game hot, having won their last eight games.
While Inderkum's victory against Rio Americano wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Tigers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 20-17 win over the Raiders on Friday. Those 20 points were actually the fewest the Tigers have put up all season, but given the result they're probably not too concerned.
The critical scores for Inderkum came from Asaiah Gibbons, Jordan Cole, and Jacob Stoll.
Meanwhile, Ponderosa hadn't done well against Vista del Lago recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Bruins won a contest that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by the Eagles 35-34.
Ponderosa's win came from a few key players Inderkum will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Zealand Jenks, who picked up 93 receiving yards and one touchdown, and also punched in one score on the ground. That's the most receiving yards he has posted since back in August. Colton Ridgley was another key player, throwing for 225 yards and a pair of TDs.
Ponderosa didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Vista del Lago to a completion percentage of just 46.2%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from seven players: Jenks, Marshall Alvernaz, Andrew Jones, Brendan Ferrie, Chase Laczny, Noah Rodriguez-Bragg, and Mason Schade, who each logged one passes deflected. Ponderosa hasn't an opponent to post a completion percentage of 0.36 or higher in three consecutive matchups.
Inderkum's victory bumped their record up to 8-1. As for Ponderosa, their win bumped their record up to 6-3.
Everything came up roses for Inderkum against Ponderosa when the teams last played back in November of 2024, as the team secured a 50-0 victory. Do the Tigers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bruins turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
