The Hazen Highlanders are taking a road trip to square off against the Newport - Bellevue Knights at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
Hazen's offense might be in the hot seat on Friday considering what happened against Renton on Friday. They were beaten by the Red Hawks 41-0. The matchup marked the first time this year in which the Highlanders were not able to get on the board.
Meanwhile, Newport - Bellevue might've scored the first points on Friday, but it was Redmond who claimed the real prize. The Knights received a blow as they fell 42-23 to the Mustangs. The Knights just can't catch a break and have now endured three losses in a row.
Hazen will have to keep a close watch on Tj Rhatigan and Aj Atofau, a pair of players who had a big impact on Newport - Bellevue's prior game. Rhatigan rushed for 68 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Atofau rushed for 78 yards. Rhatigan has been hot recently, having also posted two or more rushing touchdowns the last four times he's played.
Newport - Bellevue's defeat dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Hazen, their loss dropped their record down to 4-3.
Everything went Hazen's way against Newport - Bellevue in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as Hazen made off with a 45-24 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Knights' Cole Oliver, who threw for 198 yards and three TDs. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Highlanders to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
