Santa Maria hasn't had much luck against La Villa recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Cougars will welcome the Cardinals at 7:00 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Thursday.
Santa Maria is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They blew past Kaufer, posting a 70-14 win. The Cougars haven't had any issues with the Seahawks recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive victory against them.
Daniel Martinez
| 09/26/25 vs Kaufer | 170 |
| 09/19/25 @ Woodsboro | 274 |
| 09/12/25 vs Monte Alto | 115 |
| 08/29/25 @ La Villa | 233 |
| 11/08/24 vs Premont | 162 |
| + 3 more games |
Daniel Martinez produced another solid effort rushing for 170 yards and four scores on only seven carries, while also picking up 46 receiving yards and one TD. His rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his eighth straight game with at least 111 rushing yards dating back to last season. Miguel Alaniz was another key player, throwing for 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Santa Maria was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 212 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 153 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Santa Maria didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Gabriel Picazo and Oziel Lopez-Alcantar. Picazo got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, La Villa took their contest on Friday with ease, bagging a 67-35 win over Marine Military Academy. With the Cardinals ahead 41-14 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
La Villa's win came from a few key players Santa Maria will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Isaiah Felix, who rushed for 130 yards and a pair of scores on only ten carries, and also threw for 118 yards and three TDs. Another player making a difference was Frankie-Raye Gonzales, who rushed for 151 yards and one touchdown on only 14 carries.
Santa Maria's victory bumped their record up to 3-1. As for La Villa, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.
Thursday's game might be decided on the ground. Santa Maria has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 253.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like La Villa struggles in that department as they've been averaging 272.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Santa Maria came up short against La Villa in their previous meeting back in August, falling 50-45. Will the Cougars have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
