Two dominant signal callers in Talis Payne and Eli Punzo are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The University Prep Panthers will square off against the Gridley Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. University Prep has given up an average of 28.6 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
On Friday, University Prep came up short against Yreka and fell 33-20. The Panthers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Braeden Ballensky, who rushed for 101 yards and one score on only 13 carries.
Meanwhile, Gridley put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They took down Corning 38-19. Given the Bulldogs' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 176th, while the Cardinals are ranked 384th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
University Prep better keep an eye on Jace Griggs. He was instrumental in Gridley's win, rushing for 72 yards and one TD on only ten carries. Griggs also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, picking up a sack and making four total tackles.
Gridley 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 178 rushing yards in 16 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Gridley didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Punzo and Rafael Franco.
Gridley's record now sits at 10-0. As for University Prep, their loss dropped their record down to 3-7.
University Prep lost to Gridley on the road by a decisive 24-6 margin in their previous matchup back in August. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
