The Bellevue Broncos will challenge the Mendon Hornets at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Mendon better have a healthy lead at halftime, because if Bellevue's game on Friday is any indication, that's when Bellevue really gets things going. The Broncos took their contest with ease, bagging a 42-14 win over Athens. The victory continues a trend for the Broncos in their matchups with the Indians: they've now won three in a row.
Zain Qahwash
| 09/26/25 @ Athens | 56 |
| 08/28/25 @ Tekonsha | 38 |
| 09/05/25 @ Lenawee Christian | 11 |
| 08/29/24 vs Tekonsha | 5 |
| 09/12/25 vs Potterville | -17 |
Bellevue's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Zain Qahwash led the charge by rushing for 56 yards and two TDs, while also throwing for 85 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only six passes. Those 56 rushing yards gave Qahwash a new career-high. Bellevue's leading receiver Wyatt Dunlap was Qahwash's top target yet again, picking up 85 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
Bellevue's run defense was locked in: Athens could only muster 1.9 yards per carry. While two picked up at least five total tackles, Dunlap stood above the rest. He picked up 85 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Bellevue's ground attack was stronger, having averaged four.
Meanwhile, you're bound to get a positive result if you outscore your opponent every quarter and that's exactly how it played out for Mendon on Friday. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that they blew Colon out of the water with a 50-7 final score. Given the Hornets' advantage in MaxPreps' Michigan football rankings (they are ranked seventh, while the Magi are ranked 46th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Bellevue better keep an eye on Owen Gorham. He was instrumental in Mendon's win, rushing for 244 yards and four TDs while picking up 15.3 yards per carry. Gorham also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, picking up a sack and making five total tackles. Brayden Crites was in the mix as well, providing Mendon with one score.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Mendon's defense and their five sacks. Colon's QB won't forget Crites anytime soon given he sacked him twice. Mendon received some extra help from Crites, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Bellevue now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Mendon, their win bumped their record up to 5-0.
Bellevue suffered a grim 66-42 defeat to Mendon when the teams last played back in October of 2024. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Gorham, who rushed for 256 yards and six touchdowns while picking up 11.1 yards per carry. Now that the Broncos know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
