The Clayton Yellowjackets will head out to take on the Menaul Panthers at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Clayton's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last three games.
Clayton is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of New Mexico's top teams: Cloudcroft, who was ranked 20th in their home state at the time (Clayton was ranked sixth). Clayton claimed a resounding 56-6 victory over Cloudcroft at home. The Yellowjackets' offense checked out after the first half but had enough points banked to take the game anyway.
Clayton's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Daniel Manquero, who threw for 151 yards and three touchdowns on only seven passes, and also rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown. Manquero's longest rush was for an impressive 51 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Omar Valdez was Manquero's top target, picking up 96 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 38 yards and a touchdown.
Clayton's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Preston Ouellette and Nathan Urrutia.
Meanwhile, Menaul unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Friday. They were outmatched by Fort Sumner/House on the road and fell 58-6. The Panthers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 52-6.
Clayton's victory bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Menaul, their loss dropped their record down to 3-2.
Everything came up roses for Clayton against Menaul in their previous matchup back in September of 2023, as the squad secured a 54-24 win. In that contest, Clayton amassed a halftime lead of 24-0, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
