Two dominant signal callers in Joe Yoney and Laki Wallwork are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Mohave Thunderbirds will look to defend their home field on Friday against the Northwest Christian Crusaders at 7:00 p.m. Mohave knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 31 points or more in their past five matchups -- so hopefully Northwest Christian likes a good challenge.
Mohave's defense heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed last Friday. They blew past La Joya Community, posting a 62-0 win. The Thunderbirds might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six games by 26 points or more this season.
Mohave had a senior duo take command as Deegan Perry rushed for 83 yards and one TD and Alejandro Ruiz picked up 45 receiving yards and a pair of scores. Ruiz also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making two total tackles and defending two passes in addition to snagging an interception which he returned one-yard for a touchdown.
Mohave didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited La Joya Community to a completion percentage of just 38.9%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from two players: Yoney and Ruiz, who each logged two passes deflected. Mohave has been improving in that area: they had allowed a completion percentage of 0.65 earlier this season, but they've only allowed one of 0.65 in their last three games.
Mohave's defense didn't let Lavale Mcafee, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for four sacks. Leading the way was Gavin Holmes with two. Yoney got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Northwest Christian had no problem doing just that on Friday. They secured a 52-46 W over the Red Wolves. Things were looking grim for the Crusaders in the third quarter (they were down by 22) but they stormed back to get the matchup.
Mohave better keep an eye on Conner Main. He was instrumental in Northwest Christian's win, picking up 157 receiving yards and one touchdown. Main showed off some serious burst, cutting upfield on a catch for 64 yards.
Mohave's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-2. Those road wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.3 points over those games. As for Northwest Christian, their victory bumped their record up to 7-4.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Mohave has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 216.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Northwest Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 158.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
