Two dominant backs in Baylor Kelley and Braeden Ward are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Placer Hillmen will look to defend their home field on Friday against the Twelve Bridges Raging Rhinos at 7:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Friday, Placer took their matchup on the road with ease, bagging a 48-21 win over Nevada Union. Given the Hillmen's advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 168th, while the Miners are ranked 344th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Placer's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Rian Miller led the charge by throwing for 220 yards and three touchdowns while completing 90% of his passes. Shaun Jones helped Miller out on the ground, rushing for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Placer was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 203 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 166 rushing yards in 18 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Twelve Bridges put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They claimed a resounding 55-7 victory over Nevada Union at home.
Twelve Bridges' win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Ward, who rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 carries. Ward is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last three games he's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Connor Flaherty, who rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Another reason for the win was Twelve Bridges' imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. Davin Markle was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up twohimself.
Placer pushed their record up to 6-1 with the win, which was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season. As for Twelve Bridges, their victory bumped their record up to 7-0.
Friday's match might be decided in the on the ground. Placer has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 256.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Twelve Bridges struggles in that department as they've been averaging 303.9. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
