Marina is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Thursday. After each having a week off, they and the Sunny Hills Lancers will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. Marina is coming into the game hot, having won their last three games.
If Marina beats Sunny Hills with 21 points on Thursday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. The Vikings strolled past Esperanza with points to spare last Thursday, taking the game 21-7. That looming 21-7 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Vikings yet this season.
Francis Saporito and Carson Hunnicutt were among the main playmakers for Marina as the former threw for 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns and the latter picked up 119 receiving yards.
Another reason for the win was Marina's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Leading the way was Brayden O'Rourke with two. Alberto Herrera was another major factor on D, picking up a sack, forcing one fumble, and making five total tackles.
Meanwhile, Sunny Hills didn't have too much trouble with Sonora last Friday as they won 34-20.
Marina better keep an eye on George Shelledy. He was instrumental in Sunny Hills' win, rushing for 132 yards and three scores on only 11 carries. That's the most rushing yards Shelledy has posted since back in October of 2024. Another player making a difference was Mikeal Khan, who threw for 130 yards and one TD.
Sunny Hills was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 297 rushing yards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their rushing yard total in three consecutive contests.
Sunny Hills' victory bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Marina, their win bumped their record up to an identical 4-1.
Thursday's game might be decided on the ground. Marina has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 166.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Sunny Hills struggles in that department as they've been averaging 188 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Marina strolled past Sunny Hills in their previous matchup back in October of 2024 by a score of 21-6. Will the Vikings repeat their success, or do the Lancers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
