Nevada Union hasn't had much luck against Placer recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Miners will head out to face off against the Hillmen at 7:30 p.m. The two teams might be coming in a bit winded given these two teams combined for 983 yards in their previous games.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Nevada Union turned things around against Del Campo on Friday. They took their game with ease, bagging a 72-42 victory over the Cougars. The Miners' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Rhyder Eelkema
| 10/17/25 vs Del Campo | 181 |
| 10/03/25 vs Twelve Bridges | 131 |
| 09/26/25 @ Antioch | 143 |
| 09/12/25 vs Casa Roble | 148 |
| 09/05/25 @ Christian Brothers | 131 |
| 08/29/25 vs Bella Vista | 182 |
This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Rhyder Eelkema and Brandon McCallum. Eelkema rushed for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 14 carries while McCallum rushed for 120 yards and two scores. Eelkema's rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his sixth straight game with at least 131 rushing yards.
Nevada Union was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 480 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Placer won a contest that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by Yuba City 49-48. The Hillmen haven't had any issues with the Honkers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Nevada Union better keep an eye on Danny Sanchez-Harlow. He was instrumental in Placer's win, rushing for 218 yards and three TDs on only 14 carries. With that strong performance, Sanchez-Harlow is now averaging an impressive 105.2 rushing yards per game. Jesiah Aday was another key player, rushing for 120 yards and one score while picking up 7.5 yards per carry.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Placer, racking up 11 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Sanchez-Harlow, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Nevada Union's victory was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 3-5. As for Placer, their win bumped their record up to 5-3.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Nevada Union has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 287.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Placer struggles in that department as they've been averaging 255.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Nevada Union was taken down by Placer 48-21 when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Can the Miners avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
