The Cambria Heights Highlanders will square off against the Portage Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Cambria Heights will be coming into the game with an undefeated record on the line.
Last Friday, Cambria Heights was able to grind out a solid win over Northern Cambria, taking the game 21-14.
Cambria Heights' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jaxxon Kline led the charge by rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown. That's the most rushing yards Kline has posted since back in November of 2023.
Meanwhile, Portage didn't have quite enough to beat Conemaugh Township on Friday and fell 16-14. The Mustangs gained 139 more yards on the day, but it was the Indians that made the best use of them.
Defeat or not, Portage got some senior leadership from Brendan Smithtro and Bode Layo. Smithtro gained 133 total yards, while Layo picked up 90 receiving yards and a touchdown. Smithtro also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, picking up 0.5 sacks and making eight total tackles (1.0 for loss). Issac Willinsky was in the mix as well, providing Portage with a touchdown.
Cambria Heights pushed their record up to 5-0 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. As for Portage, they now have a losing record at 2-3.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Cambria Heights has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 234.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Portage struggles in that department as they've been averaging 150.6. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Cambria Heights took their win against Portage when the teams last played back in September of 2023 by a conclusive 24-0. Does Cambria Heights have another victory up their sleeve, or will Portage turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
