North Fork is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Friday. They will look to defend their home field against the Olathe Pirates at 7:00 p.m. North Fork's defense has only allowed 14.2 points per game this season, so Olathe's offense will have their work cut out for them.
North Fork will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up 13 points last Saturday, then bounced right back against Gunnison on Friday. The Miners blew past the Cowboys, posting a 42-6 win. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 35-0.
Mazzden Balko
| 09/26/25 @ Gunnison | 89 |
| 08/29/25 @ Center | 58 |
| 09/05/25 vs Yuma | 38 |
| 09/20/25 @ Banning Lewis Academy | 30 |
| 09/11/25 vs Monte Vista | 15 |
Alex Csere continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 124 yards and two touchdowns on only seven carries. His longest rush was for an incredible 76 yards. Mazzden Balko helped out on the ground, rushing for 89 yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: North Fork was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 413 rushing yards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their rushing yard total in three consecutive matchups.
North Fork didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Joe Hollembeak. North Fork received some extra help from Payson Miller, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Meanwhile, it's never fun to lose, and it's even less fun to lose 51-8, which was the final score in Olathe's tilt against Meeker last Friday. The loss continues a trend for the Pirates in their meetings with the Cowboys: they've now lost nine in a row.
North Fork now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Olathe, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 3-1.
Everything came up roses for North Fork against Olathe when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 35-7 victory. In that game, the Miners amassed a halftime lead of 21-0, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
