The Jurupa Hills Spartans will take on the San Jacinto Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row dating back to last season, Jurupa Hills finally turned things around against Rancho Mirage on Friday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 30-27 win over the Rattlers. The Spartans' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Jurupa Hills found their leader in underclassman Ja'Khai Johnson, who threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 31 yards. Derek Beeman handled things on the ground, rushing for 94 yards.
Jurupa Hills' 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 Michael Rodriguez and Michael Ephraim.
Meanwhile, San Jacinto had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12.3 points) and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. They blew past the Cowboys 28-8. That's two games straight that the Tigers have won by exactly 20 points.
San Jacinto got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Jaylen Patterson out in front who rushed for 85 yards and three touchdowns on only 11 carries, and also threw for 132 yards on only ten passes. Jomini Ransom was another key back, rushing for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Jurupa Hills' first win this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for San Jacinto, their victory bumped their record up to 4-1.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Jurupa Hills has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 172.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like San Jacinto struggles in that department as they've been averaging 225.6. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Jurupa Hills lost to San Jacinto at home by a decisive 45-27 margin in their previous meeting back in September of 2023. Thankfully for Jurupa Hills, Malachi Brown (who rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns on only 12 carries) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
