Ridgevue is 0-5 against Nampa since September of 2018 but things could change on Friday. The Warhawks will welcome the Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. Ridgevue is coming into the game hot, having won their last three games.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Ridgevue and Vallivue meet (four straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Friday. The Warhawks snuck past the Falcons with a 13-7 win. The 13-point effort marked the Warhawks' lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Hunter Schmittel looked great while leading his team to the win, throwing for 164 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing for 54 yards on only seven carries.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Ridgevue proved: they limited Vallivue to a paltry 2.1 yards per carry. The team can thank Ezekial Earnest for the heroic effort on defense: he. Ridgevue's ground attack was stronger, having averaged 4.8.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Nampa). They were the clear victors by a 50-28 margin over Skyview last Friday. With the Bulldogs ahead 29-7 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Nampa's win came from a few key players Ridgevue will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kartez Hernandez, who rushed for 238 yards and three scores while picking up 8.8 yards per carry. The team also got some help courtesy of Dominick Almaraz, who threw for 211 yards and three TDs on only 19 passes.
Nampa didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Jason Morris and Ryland Rush. Morris also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with eight.
Ridgevue's victory bumped their record up to 5-1. As for Nampa, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-5.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Ridgevue has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 192.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Nampa struggles in that department as they've been averaging 168.7 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Ridgevue came up short against Nampa when the teams last played back in October of 2024, falling 21-10. Will the Warhawks 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.
