The North Fork Miners will face off against the Centauri Falcons at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
North Fork is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They breezed past Grand Valley to the tune of 50-6 two weeks ago. The Miners have beaten the Cardinals the last six times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Cardinals has come to flipping the script.
North Fork's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Braeden Flores, who rushed for 38 yards and two touchdowns, and also threw for 42 yards and one TD. Another rusher making a difference was Alex Csere, who rushed for 76 yards and one score.
North Fork didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Grand Valley to a completion percentage of just 50%. The Miners weren't nearly as limited: they posted one of 66.7%.
North Fork's defense didn't let Sawyer Ostermiller, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for four sacks. Derick Sievertsen refused to say out of the backfield, picking up two sacks all by himself.
Meanwhile, Centauri posted their closest victory since September 6, 2024 on Friday. They had just enough and edged out Monte Vista 20-18.
Centauri's win came from a few key players North Fork will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Dallyn King, who rushed for 75 yards and one TD on only seven carries. He got the majority of those rushing yards when he took off on a run that went for an incredible 51 yards. Carson Shawcroft was another key player, gaining 39 total yards and two touchdowns.
North Fork's record is now 6-3. As for Centauri, their record now sits at 8-1.
Saturday's contest might be decided on the ground. North Fork has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 220.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Centauri struggles in that department as they've been averaging 184.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
