Encina is 0-8 against Forest Lake Christian since January of 2019 but things could change on Friday. The Encina Bulldogs will challenge the Forest Lake Christian Falcons at 6:00 p.m.
Encina is headed into Friday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Tuesday. They were outmatched by Sacramento Waldorf and fell 59-29. The Bulldogs were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 36-14.
Encina might have lost, but man, Elise Brandon was a machine: she dropped a double-double on 28 points and 12 boards. That was a full 96.6% of Encina's points, marking the tenth time in a row she's posted more than a third of the team's points. Ojehi Benito Oserogho was another key player, putting up a point and 13 rebounds.
Even though they lost, Encina smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 16 offensive rebounds in ten consecutive games.
Meanwhile, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Forest Lake Christian beat Victory Christian 35-30 on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Falcons.
Forest Lake Christian's win came from a few key players Encina will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Lucy Rowley, who put up 14 points and six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Bree Wilson, who had eight points and nine rebounds.
Encina's defeat dropped their record down to 4-6. As for Forest Lake Christian, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 9-6 record this season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Encina has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 69.4 boards per game. However, it's not like Forest Lake Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 39.7 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Encina and Forest Lake Christian were neck-and-neck in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, but Encina came up empty-handed after a 42-41 loss. Can Encina avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
