The Zapata Hawks will take on the Tuloso-Midway Warriors & Cherokees at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Zapata will roll into the matchup after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up three points last Friday, then bounced right back against Valley View on Thursday. The Hawks breezed past the Tigers to the tune of 53-7. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 34-0.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Zapata to victory, but perhaps none more so than Ryan Solis, who threw for 215 yards and three TDs while completing 71.4% of his passes. The team also got some help courtesy of Jay Solis, who gained 150 total yards.
Zapata was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 347 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 239 rushing yards in eight consecutive games.
Another reason for the win was Zapata's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece. They got some further help from Orlando Guerra: he picked up a sack and made eight total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Tuloso-Midway, who bounced back after a loss on the road back in October. They blew past Valley View 84-0 last Friday. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Warriors & Cherokees' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 473rd, while the Tigers are ranked 1151st).
Zapata better keep an eye on Damian Figueroa. He was instrumental in Tuloso-Midway's win, rushing for 207 yards and four touchdowns on only five carries, while also picking up 44 receiving yards and one score. Figueroa really tore up the turf during one magnificent 78-yard run. Another player making a difference was Joaquin Trevino, who threw for 214 yards and four TDs on only 11 passes.
Tuloso-Midway didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of DJ Ybarra and Jace Arriaga. Arriaga got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Zapata pushed their record up to 7-2 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 46.5 points over those games. As for Tuloso-Midway, their victory bumped their record up to 7-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Zapata has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 277.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Tuloso-Midway struggles in that department as they've been averaging 305.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Zapata was dealt a bruising 55-20 loss at the hands of Tuloso-Midway in their previous matchup back in November of 2024. Will the Hawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.
