Eaglecrest lost to ThunderRidge back in September of 2021, but they didn't allow them the same satisfaction on Thursday. The Eaglecrest Raptors strolled past the ThunderRidge Grizzlies with points to spare, taking the game 26-8. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Raptors.
A big part of Eaglecrest's victory came down to the chemistry between Joe Steiner and his top target Burke Withycombe. Steiner gained 336 total yards while Withycombe gained 190 total yards and two touchdowns. Withycombe was no stranger to the big play, cutting upfield on a catch that went for 53 yards. Kota Becker was another key player, gaining 75 total yards and two touchdowns.
One reason for the win was Eaglecrest's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for five sacks. In that department, T'Mario Walter was the leader with 2.5. Eaglecrest got some further help from Ramadje Owens: he picked up a sack, made eight total tackles (1.5 for loss), and made eight total tackles (1.5 for loss).
Eaglecrest's win bumped their record up to 4-1. As for ThunderRidge, their defeat was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 0-5.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Eaglecrest will face off against Smoky Hill at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Eaglecrest is facing Smoky Hill at the right time seeing as Smoky Hill is stuck on a four-game losing streak. As for ThunderRidge, they will square off against Rock Canyon at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. ThunderRidge will also cruise into their next contest with the timing on their side: Rock Canyon will have lost three straight heading into Thursday's matchup.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
