The Peninsula Panthers will head out on the road to square off against the Torrance Tartars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
While Peninsula's win against South wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Panthers won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by the Spartans 35-34. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Panthers' offense, which had struggled in the games prior.
Ethan Balog went supernova, rushing for 139 yards and three scores on only seven carries. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 83-yard run. Kamran Dowlatshai also helped out as he racked up 144 rushing yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Peninsula was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 368 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Torrance put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They walked away with a 34-24 victory over Redondo Union. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Tartars' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 90th, while the Sea Hawks are ranked 232nd).
Torrance's win came from a few key players Peninsula will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Vaughn Reinert, who rushed for 107 yards and one touchdown, and also picked up 50 receiving yards and one TD. Gibson Turner was another key passer, throwing for 201 yards and three touchdowns while completing 80.8% of his passes.
Torrance's record is now 6-0. As for Peninsula, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-5.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Peninsula has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 174.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Torrance struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 155.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Peninsula was taken down by Torrance 33-0 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Can the Panthers 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
