The Roosevelt Rough Riders will square off against the Hoover Patriots at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Roosevelt's defense heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They took their contest with ease, bagging a 55-0 win over Madera South. The high-scoring effort was just what the Rough Riders needed considering they were shut out in their previous game.
Roosevelt found their leader in sophomore Ehis Idoni, who rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Roosevelt proved: they limited Madera South to a paltry 2.5 yards per carry. The Rough Riders didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 17.8.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Hoover, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped on Friday as they easily beat Torres 44-14.
Roosevelt better keep an eye on Cam Mobley. He was instrumental in Hoover's win, throwing for 393 yards and six TDs while picking up 12.7 yards per attempt, and also rushing for 76 yards on only nine carries. Mobley's passing game has become a key predictor of the Patriots' success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 1-4 otherwise. Pamir Olivier was Mobley's top target, picking up 117 receiving yards and three scores.
Hoover didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Justice Bell, Caleb Marquez, and Ruben Duenas picked up one apiece. Marquez also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with eight. Bell got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Roosevelt's victory bumped their record up to 7-1. As for Hoover, the win got them back to even at 4-4.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Roosevelt has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 182.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Hoover struggles in that department as they've been averaging 177.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Roosevelt strolled past Hoover in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a score of 26-7. Will the Rough Riders repeat their success, or do the Patriots have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
