The Salida Spartans will face off against the Pagosa Springs Pirates at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Salida's defense heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed last Friday. They took their match on the road with ease, bagging a 40-0 victory over Rye. The Spartans' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Salida's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Tyus Winkler led the charge by picking up 77 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while also punching in a touchdown on the ground. Wyatt Farney was another key player, gaining 86 total yards and two touchdowns.
Salida's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged four passes before it was all said and done. Matthew Edgington led the group effort, picking up two of those interceptions all by himself.
Meanwhile, Pagosa Springs' offense rose to the challenge against a Cardinals defense that boasted an average of only 14.8 points allowed on Friday. Pagosa Springs blew past Elizabeth 33-10. That looming 33-10 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Pirates yet this season.
Colton Lucero continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 161 yards and three touchdowns. He also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, picking up a sack and making ten total tackles. Creede Dozier was another key player, rushing for 83 yards and a touchdown on only ten carries.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Pagosa Springs was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 247 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 194 rushing yards in seven consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
The win got Salida back to even at 2-2. As for Pagosa Springs, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Salida has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 198.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Pagosa Springs struggles in that department as they've been averaging 301. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Salida was taken down by Pagosa Springs 42-12 in their previous matchup back in October of 2023. Thankfully for Salida, Gavin Lindahl (who rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
