The Lehi Pioneers will take on the Skyridge Falcons at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. One thing working in Lehi's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points every time they've taken the field this season.
Lehi is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Utah's top teams: American Fork, who was ranked 13th in their home state at the time (Lehi was ranked fourth). Lehi put the hurt on American Fork with a sharp 34-10 win on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Pioneers, who have now won four matches by 24 points or more so far this season.
Lehi's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Devaughn Eka led the charge by rushing for 129 yards and a touchdown. Eka really tore up the turf during one magnificent 73-yard run.
Lehi's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged five passes before it was all said and done. Ozzie Williams and Abe Jager were the leaders of the group effort as each produced two apiece. Williams is also on a roll when it comes to defended passes, as he's now defended at least one in the last three games he's played dating back to last season. Another thorn in American Fork's side was Leonaitasi Esikia, who picked up two sacks, forced a fumble, and made nine total tackles.
Meanwhile, Skyridge got themselves on the board against Westlake on Friday, but Westlake never followed suit. They blew past the Thunder 40-0 at home. Given the Falcons' advantage in MaxPreps' Utah football rankings (they are ranked fifth, while the Thunder are ranked 51st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
It was another big night for Kaneal Sweetwyne, who threw for 164 yards and four touchdowns on only 13 passes, and also rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown.
Lehi's victory was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. As for Skyridge, their win bumped their record up to 4-2.
Thursday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Lehi has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 151.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Skyridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging 159.7. It's looking like Thursday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Lehi ended up a good deal behind Skyridge when the teams last played back in September of 2023, losing 35-17. Thankfully for Lehi, Carter Sheffield (who rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.4 yards per carry) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
