After three games on the road, Rancocas Valley is heading back home. They will take on The Highland Regional Tartans at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Rancocas Valley gave up the first points last Saturday, but they didn't let that get them down. They claimed a resounding 38-3 victory over Northern Burlington on the road. Given Rancocas Valley's advantage in MaxPreps' New Jersey football rankings (they are ranked 49th, while Northern Burlington is ranked 150th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Nicholas Marco had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 94 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries, and also threw for 109 yards and two touchdowns on only ten passes. The team also got some help courtesy of Brody Deiter, who picked up 51 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Highland Regional had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 22.3 points), and they went ahead and made it five on Friday. They breezed by Triton at home to the tune of 50-14. With Highland Regional ahead 36-14 at the half, the match was all but over already.
Nehemiah Butler-mayhew continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 101 yards and three touchdowns on only 12 carries, while also picking up 41 receiving yards. Butler-mayhew is on a roll when it comes to rushing yards, as he's now rushed for 100 or more in the last six games he's played. Connor Leary was another key contributor, throwing for 208 yards and two touchdowns while completing 78.6% of his passes.
Their wins bumped Rancocas Valley to 6-2 and Highland Regional to 5-3.
Saturday's matchup might be decided on the ground as these two are both standouts in the run game. Rancocas Valley has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 150.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Highland Regional struggles in that department as they've been even better at 172.5 per game. It's looking like Saturday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Rancocas Valley didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Highland Regional when the teams last played back in October of 2022, but they still walked away with a 46-42 victory. Does Rancocas Valley have another victory up their sleeve, or will Highland Regional turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
