Wheatland hasn't had much luck against Lincoln recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Wheatland Pirates will take on the Lincoln Fighting Zebras at 7:15 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.
Lincoln is hoping to do what Bear River couldn't on Friday: put an end to Wheatland's winning streak, which now stands at four games. Wheatland blew past Bear River 27-7. The Pirates might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three matches by 20 points or more this season.
The critical scores for Wheatland came from Joseph Franklin, Jordan James, and James.
Wheatland wouldn't let Bear River keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force three fumbles. Wheatland can thank James and Konley Cova for forcing all of them. Cova also set a new season high mark in rushing yards with 91. Isaac Martin was another major factor on D, picking up 0.5 sacks, making nine total tackles (2.0 for loss), and making nine total tackles (2.0 for loss) in addition to snagging an interception.
Wheatland was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 205 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 196 rushing yards in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Lincoln never let their opponents score on Thursday. They took their matchup on the road with ease, bagging a 63-0 victory over Mira Loma. That looming 63-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Fighting Zebras yet this season.
Lincoln's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Eli Duff, who threw for 124 yards and four touchdowns on perfect 7-for-7 passing, and also rushed for 31 yards. Another back making a difference was Devin Davis, who rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on only 14 carries.
Lincoln's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Madden Bessette. Another thorn in Mira Loma's side was Brayden Bertozzi, who picked up 1.5 sacks and made seven total tackles (2.5 for loss).
Wheatland's record is now 4-0. As for Lincoln, the win for them keeps them at an undefeated 4-0.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Wheatland has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 192.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Lincoln struggles in that department as they've been averaging 224.5. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Wheatland might still be hurting after the 36-12 defeat they got from Lincoln when the teams last played back in September of 2017. Can Wheatland avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
