Monache hasn't had much luck against Redwood recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Marauders will challenge the Rangers at 7:30 p.m. One thing working in Monache's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last five contests.
Monache is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They claimed a resounding 49-6 win over El Diamante. Considering the Marauders have won three matchups by more than 33 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Monache found their leader in sophomore Cooper Baxter, who rushed for 247 yards and a pair of scores while picking up 14.5 yards per carry. Baxter really tore up the turf during one magnificent 90-yard run. Gryphen Speck got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Monache's run defense was locked in: El Diamante could only muster 1.8 yards per carry. The team can thank Benicio Mendoza for the heroic effort on defense: he. Monache's run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 4.8 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 10.1 on average over their last five games.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Monache, racking up 14 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Baxter, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Redwood had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 18 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Panthers, sneaking past 42-40. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Rangers' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 109th, while the Panthers are ranked 252nd).
Monache better keep an eye on Jimmie Burk. He was instrumental in Redwood's win, rushing for 190 yards and three touchdowns on only ten carries. Another player making a difference was Jairus Brooks, who picked up 115 receiving yards and one TD.
Monache's record is now 5-1. As for Redwood, their record now sits at 4-2.
| Rushing Yards | 587 |
| Rushing Touchdowns | 6 |
Friday's game will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Baxter and Burk. Baxter just won't slow down this season and has run in 6 touchdowns while averaging 117.4 rushing yards per game. Burk has been a dominant force too and has run in 10 touchdowns while averaging 134.3 rushing yards per game.
Monache suffered a grim 28-6 defeat to Redwood in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Burk, who rushed for 132 yards and four scores. Now that the Marauders know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
