After two games on the road, Highland is heading back home. They will welcome the Chandler Wolves at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Friday, Highland blew past Campo Verde, posting a 35-3 win on the road. Given the Hawks' advantage in MaxPreps' Arizona football rankings (they are ranked third, while the Coyotes are ranked 37th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Highland found their leader in underclassman Kruz Cullimore, who rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns on only 12 carries. Those 96 rushing yards set a new season-high mark for Cullimore. Kalen Fisher was another key player, throwing for 120 yards and three touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Chandler put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Corona del Sol 49-6 on the road.
Tristan Halsana continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 101 yards and four touchdowns on only seven carries. The bulk of those rushing yards came from one huge play: a run that gained an incredible 64 yards. Another player making a difference was Will Mencl, who threw for 116 yards and two touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes.
Another reason for the win was Chandler's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. Xavier Senior was especially locked on to Corona del Sol's QB and sacked him twice. With that strong performance, Senior is now averaging an impressive 5.3 total tackles per game.
Highland's victory bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Chandler, their win bumped their record up to an identical 4-0.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Highland has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 163.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Chandler struggles in that department as they've been averaging 215. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Highland didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Chandler when the teams last played back in November of 2023, but they still walked away with a 19-14 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Chandler's Ca'Lil Valentine, who rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns, and also picked up 41 receiving yards. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Highland to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps