For the first time this season, Walnut will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They are taking a road trip to face off against the Diamond Bar Brahmas at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Walnut's defense has only allowed 14.8 points per game this season, so Diamond Bar's offense will have their work cut out for them.
If Diamond Bar heads into halftime all tied up, they better play a good second half: that's when Walnut took over last week. The Mustangs came out on top against Valencia by a score of 21-13 last Friday.
Damian Banuelos
| 09/19/25 vs Valencia | 97 |
| 08/22/25 @ Garey | 37 |
| 09/12/25 vs Rowland | 22 |
| 08/29/25 vs Montclair | 13 |
| 09/05/25 @ Sonora | 12 |
Walnut's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Christopher Mardueno, who rushed for 102 yards and a pair of scores. What's more, Mardueno posted two rushing touchdowns, the most he's had since back in October of 2024. Walnut also got a significant boost from Damian Banuelos, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 97 yards.
Walnut's run defense was locked in: Valencia could only muster 3.4 yards per carry. While two picked up at least eight total tackles, Mardueno stood above the rest. He rushed for 102 yards and two TDs. Walnut didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 6.7.
Meanwhile, Diamond Bar was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fifth straight loss. They were a single point away from ending the streak, but they lost a 22-21 heartbreaker at the hands of Rowland. The Brahmas were up 15-0 in the second quarter but couldn't hold on to the lead.
Walnut's record now sits at 4-1. As for Diamond Bar, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-5.
Friday's contest will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Mardueno and Dominic Tortorelli. Mardueno just won't slow down this season and has run in 5 touchdowns while averaging 77.6 rushing yards per game. Tortorelli has been a dominant force too and has averaged 104.6 rushing yards per game.
Walnut took a serious blow against Diamond Bar when the teams last played back in November of 2024, falling 49-14. Can the Mustangs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
