The Umatilla Bulldogs will square off against the Father Lopez Green Wave at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Umatilla's defense heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They took their contest with ease, bagging a 42-0 win over Taylor. The Bulldogs' victory was nothing new given the team hasn't lost yet this season.
Umatilla's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Ray Jenkins led the charge by throwing for 110 yards and two TDs on only nine passes. Another pass catcher making a difference was John Brake, who picked up 81 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Umatilla proved: they limited Taylor to a paltry 0.4 yards per carry. The team can thank Kellen Hatcher for the heroic effort on defense: he. Umatilla didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 11.3.
Umatilla didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Brake, Isaiah Brown, and Bryce Norflee picked up one apiece. Hatcher was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making 17 total tackles (5.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Father Lopez, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped on Friday as they easily beat Halifax Academy 54-6. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 48-6.
Father Lopez's win came from a few key players Umatilla will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Rylan Demarsh, who rushed for 18 yards and one score, and also caught one TD. Speaking of playmakers, who could forget Owen Albert, who went all the way with a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Umatilla's win bumped their record up to 9-0. As for Father Lopez, their victory bumped their record up to 5-3.
Umatilla didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Father Lopez in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, but they still walked away with a 29-24 win. Do the Bulldogs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Green Wave turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
