Justin Garza is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Friday. They will host the San Joaquin Memorial Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
While Justin Garza's victory against Lompoc wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Guardians sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 27-24 win over the Braves last Friday.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Justin Garza to victory, but perhaps none more so than Bohden Smith, who threw for 184 yards and a pair of TDs. The Guardians' leading receiver Nate Rodriguez was Smith's top target yet again, picking up 120 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Justin Garza proved: they limited Lompoc to a paltry 1.2 yards per carry. The team can thank Elijah Maldonado for the heroic effort on defense: he. Justin Garza didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 5.5.
Justin Garza's defense didn't let Trevor Thompson, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for five sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Zamarion Frazier and Jayden Austin, who racked up four sacks between them. Justin Garza received some extra help from Ayden Arredondo, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Meanwhile, after only ten points in their last game, San Joaquin Memorial made sure to put some points up on the board against Central on Thursday. The Panthers blew past the Grizzlies 49-13. The matchup was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 28-7.
San Joaquin Memorial now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Justin Garza, they pushed their record up to 4-1 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road.
Justin Garza came up short against San Joaquin Memorial when the teams last played back in October of 2024, falling 26-20. Will the Guardians have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
