Bakersfield Christian is 4-0 against Independence since October of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Bakersfield Christian Eagles will head out on the road to face off against the Independence Falcons at 7:30 p.m. Bakersfield Christian will be strutting in after a victory while Independence will be coming in after a defeat.
Bakersfield Christian put the finishing touches on their third blowout victory of the season on Friday. They really took it to Highland for the full four quarters, racking up a 46-12 win on the road. Given Bakersfield Christian's advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 212th, while Highland is ranked 543rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Bakersfield Christian's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Kolton Thorsen, who rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns, and Talen Mather, who threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 passes. Thorsen was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 65 yards. Bakersfield Christian also got help from Dylan Johnson who showed off his sure hands for 112 receiving yards.
Meanwhile, while it was all tied up 7-7 at halftime, Independence was not quite Stockdale's equal in the second half on Thursday. Independence fell just short of Stockdale by a score of 21-19.
Despite the loss, Independence had strong showings from Arturo Franco, who rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown on only nine carries, and Richard Gooden, who rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown.
Bakersfield Christian now has a winning record of 5-4. As for Independence, they now have a losing record at 4-5.
Bakersfield Christian took their win against Independence in their previous meeting back in October of 2022 by a conclusive 35-14. The rematch might be a little tougher for Bakersfield Christian since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
