Mt. Diablo is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Friday. After each having a week off, they and the Concord Bears will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. Mt. Diablo is coming into the matchup on a three-game losing streak.
Last Friday, Mt. Diablo was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 19-13 to McClymonds. While losing is never fun, the Red Devils can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 486th, while the Warriors are ranked 120th).
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Antonio Campbell Iii, who rushed for 63 yards and one touchdown. Mt. Diablo also got help from Jamonie Lewis, who showed off his sure hands for 105 receiving yards.
Meanwhile, Concord humbled Encinal with a 42-14 victory. Considering the Bears have won three contests by more than 26 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Mt. Diablo better keep an eye on Juan Gonzalez. He was instrumental in Concord's win, throwing for 202 yards and four TDs on only 14 passes, while also punching in one score on the ground. Their leading receiver Erik Madayag was Gonzalez's top target yet again, picking up 104 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Concord was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 252 rushing yards. They are a perfect 3-0 when they've run for more than 200 yards.
The victory made it two in a row for Concord and bumps their season record up to 4-2. Those wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 28 points in those games. As for Mt. Diablo, their loss dropped their record down to 3-3.
Everything came up roses for Mt. Diablo against Concord in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 63-13 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Red Devils since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
