Football Game Preview: Hillcrest Knights vs. Bishop Kelly Knights

Two dominant signal callers in Tyson Sweetwood and Ben Avella are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. Hillcrest will square off against Bishop Kelly at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Hillcrest sitting on four straight victories and Bishop Kelly on 12.

Hillcrest is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They put the hurt on Twin Falls with a sharp 44-20 win. Considering the Knights have won nine contests by more than 19 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.

Dax Sargent

Rushing Yards

11/14/25 vs Twin Falls	82
11/07/25 vs Lakeland	21
10/31/25 vs Shelley	45
10/24/25 vs Idaho Falls	62
10/03/25 @ Blackfoot	65
09/26/25 @ Shelley	95

Dax Sargent had another great game (as he tends to do), rushing for 82 yards and one score. That's the most rushing yards he has posted since back in September.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Hillcrest was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 351 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 189 rushing yards in six consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Bishop Kelly faced Skyline in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. In a tight matchup that could have gone either way, the Knights made off with a 21-20 victory over the Grizzlies. The 21-point effort marked the Knights' lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.

Hillcrest better keep an eye on Dom Wolthuis. He was instrumental in Bishop Kelly's win, picking up 115 receiving yards and three TDs. Ryan Arellano handled things on the ground, rushing for 87 yards.

Hillcrest's record now sits at 11-1. As for Bishop Kelly, their record is now 12-0.

Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Hillcrest has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 191.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Bishop Kelly struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 191.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Hillcrest couldn't quite finish off Bishop Kelly in their previous meeting back in November of 2023 and fell 29-26. Can Hillcrest avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.