The Westwood Warriors will face off against the Desert Vista Thunder at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
As a matter of fact, Westwood put up the most points they have all season on Friday. They blew past McClintock, posting a 75-36 win.
Keshawn Barkus had another great game (as he tends to do), rushing for 257 yards and four TDs while picking up 12.9 yards per carry. He was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 65 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Elliot Reed, who rushed for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 11 carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Westwood was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 456 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 188 rushing yards in seven consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Westwood's defensive line stepped up as well, laying out the QB three times. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Dax Clark, Apaiata Tengei, and Preston Atwood, who each picked up one sack apiece. Dallin Hansen was another major factor on D, forcing one fumble, making seven total tackles, and defending one pass in addition to snagging an interception which he returned one-yard for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Desert Vista earned a 42-31 victory over Mountain Ridge last Thursday.
Desert Vista's win came from a few key players Westwood will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Chase Steel, who threw for 339 yards and five TDs while picking up 10.9 yards per attempt. Desert Vista's leading receiver Kael Moore was Steel's top target yet again, picking up 153 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
The win got Desert Vista back to even at 2-2. As for Westwood, the victory also got them back to even at 2-2.
Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. Westwood has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 291.8 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Desert Vista, though, as they've been averaging only 95 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
