For the first time this season, Iraan will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. After each having a week off, they and the Eldorado Eagles will shake off the rust and duke it out at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Iraan will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more points each contest than the last.
Iraan is headed into the game after thoroughly thrashing Reagan County: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Braves blew the Owls out of the water with a 68-14 final score. The matchup marked the Braves' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Iraan's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Alex Reyes, who rushed for 63 yards and two TDs on only seven carries. Another signal caller making a difference was Prather Schneemann, who threw for 228 yards and one touchdown while completing 71.4% of his passes.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Iraan was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 302 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in November of 2024.
Iraan didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Brayden Martinez and Cristian Buitron. Martinez got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Eldorado played a tough contest last Friday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They had to suffer through a 47-20 loss at the hands of Harper. The Eagles were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 34-12.
Iraan will have to contain Kane Brock as he made an impact in Eldorado's last game. He picked up 83 receiving yards and one score, and also rushed for 51 yards and one TD. Jonnierae Adame was another key player, having thrown for 348 yards and two touchdowns.
Eldorado now has a losing record of 2-3. As for Iraan, their victory bumped their record up to 4-1.
Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. Iraan has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 252 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Eldorado, though, as they've been averaging only 79.6 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for Iraan against Eldorado when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 70-30 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Braves since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
