For the first time this season, Notre Dame Prep will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will face off against the Horizon Huskies at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
On Thursday, Notre Dame Prep came up short against Campo Verde and fell 30-17.
Notre Dame Prep's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Gunnar Perry, who rushed for 80 yards and a pair of TDs on only seven carries, and Decker Haskins-Smith, who rushed for 105 yards. Perry's longest rush was for an impressive 56 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total.
While Notre Dame Prep came up short, they sure didn't make it easy for Campo Verde: they limited their QB to completion percentage of just 50%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from two players: Haskins-Smith and Landon Stych, who each logged one passes deflected. Notre Dame Prep hasn't an opponent to post a completion percentage of 0.13 or higher in seven consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Notre Dame Prep's defense didn't let Jonah Lubno, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for five sacks. In that department, Nate Jones was the leader with three.
Meanwhile, Horizon put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their perfect season alive. They took their matchup with ease, bagging a 62-3 win over McClintock. Given the Huskies' advantage in MaxPreps' Arizona football rankings (they are ranked 14th, while the Chargers are ranked 105th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Notre Dame Prep better keep an eye on Dylan Brush. He was instrumental in Horizon's win, rushing for 117 yards and three touchdowns. Johnny Issitt was another key player, rushing for 77 yards and one score.
Horizon didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of EJ Peeples and Jake Cash. Peeples got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Horizon's victory bumped their record up to 5-0. As for Notre Dame Prep, their defeat was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 2-3.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Notre Dame Prep has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 221.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Horizon struggles in that department as they've been averaging 261 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Notre Dame Prep came up short against Horizon in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, falling 20-7. Can the Saints avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
