Sonora extended their losing streak (dating back to last season) to four on Friday, dropping them down to 0-3. They came up short against the Walnut Mustangs, falling 37-12. The Raiders were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Mustangs apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in September of 2024.
Even if they lost, Sonora's defensive line still kept up the pressure with 5.5 sacks. Michael Kennedy was especially locked on to Walnut's QB and sacked him twice. Sonora got some further help from Jacob Valencia: he picked up a sack and made 18 total tackles (2.0 for loss).
As for Walnut, the victory was the third in a row for them, bringing their record up to 3-0. Those wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they've averaged 31.7 points this season.
Walnut got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Christopher Mardueno out in front who rushed for 117 yards and one score on only 15 carries. Mardueno also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making ten total tackles (1.0 for loss) and defending two passes in addition to snagging an interception which he returned one-yard for a touchdown. Another passer making a difference was Nohlen Simons, who threw for 198 yards and three touchdowns while completing 72.2% of his passes.
Sonora didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next game, a 42-31 loss against Redlands East Valley on the 11th. As for Walnut, they have also already played their next matchup, a 28-7 defeat against Rowland on the 12th.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
