The Yutan Chieftains will face off against the Aquinas Monarchs on Friday. Yutan will be strutting in after a win while Aquinas will be coming in after a loss.
On Friday, Yutan made easy work of Arlington and carried off a 28-8 victory. Considering the Chieftains have won four contests by more than 19 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Yutan's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Kaleb Fenner, who rushed for 103 yards and one TD.
Yutan didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Arlington to a completion percentage of just 38.9%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from two players: Kale Hoffer and Jaxon Wood, who each logged one passes deflected. Yutan wasn't nearly as limited: they posted one of 66.7%.
Yutan didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Carson Holst, Ryan Maguire, and Maddox Wentworth picked up one apiece.
Meanwhile, Aquinas was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their eighth straight defeat dating back to last season. They were six points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 46-40 heartbreaker at the hands of North Bend Central. On the bright side, the 40- point effort marked the Monarchs' highest-scoring game to date.
Yutan will need to focus on slowing down Elijah Moulton, one of several Aquinas players who made an impact when they last played. He rushed for 76 yards and one touchdown on only nine carries, and also picked up 43 receiving yards and one score. Speaking of playmakers, who could forget Landon Pohl, who went all the way with a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Yutan's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-2. The road victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 46.0 points over those games. As for Aquinas, their loss dropped their record down to 0-7.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Yutan has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 230.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Aquinas struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 152 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Yutan came up short against Aquinas when the teams last played back in October of 2024, falling 12-7. Will the Chieftains 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.
