The Mesa Jackrabbits will be playing at home against the Westwood Warriors at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Mesa is coming into the contest on a three-game losing streak.
Last Friday, Mesa ended up a good deal behind Desert Ridge and lost 38-24.
Despite the loss, Mesa got top-tier performance from Griffen Yamamoto, who picked up 136 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Yamamoto didn't just play on offense: he also forced a fumble, made four total tackles (0.5 for loss), and defended a pass.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Westwood, who bounced back after a loss on the road two weeks ago. They simply couldn't be stopped on Friday as they easily beat Tolleson 50-16. The result was nothing new for the Warriors, who have now won three games by 20 points or more so far this season.
Westwood found their leader in sophomore Keshawn Barkus, who rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 9.0 yards per carry, and also threw for 17 yards and a touchdown. Barkus is becoming a predictor of Westwood's success: when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns the team is 3-1 (and 2-3 when he doesn't). Another pass catcher making a difference was Landen Webster, who gained 99 total yards and four touchdowns.
Westwood was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 318 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Mesa's defeat dropped their record down to 3-6. As for Westwood, the win snapped their losing streak at three games and leaves them with a 5-4 record.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the on the ground. Mesa has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 168 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Westwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 201.2. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Mesa took their victory against Westwood when the teams last played back in November of 2023 by a conclusive 36-15. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Westwood's Giordan Hanks, who rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Mesa to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
