The Ponderosa Bruins will challenge the Rio Americano Raiders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
As a matter of fact, Ponderosa put up the most points they have all season on Friday. They put the hurt on Christian Brothers with a sharp 49-28 win. The result was nothing new for the Bruins, who have now won three games by 21 points or more so far this season.
Ponderosa's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Zealand Jenks led the charge by rushing for 76 yards and two scores on only nine carries, while also picking up 45 receiving yards and one TD. Jenks also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, picking up a sack and making three total tackles in addition to snagging an interception. Another rusher making a difference was Marshall Alvernaz, who rushed for 88 yards and three touchdowns.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Rio Americano, who bounced back after a loss on the road back in September. They walked away with a 35-28 victory over Bella Vista last Friday.
Ponderosa better keep an eye on Ryder Trantham. He was instrumental in Rio Americano's win, throwing for 150 yards and one TD, while also punching in one score on the ground. Devin Pointes got in on the action too, returning a kick for a touchdown.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Rio Americano, racking up 11 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Pointes, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Rio Americano is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 4-3 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 33.2 points over those games. As for Ponderosa, their victory bumped their record up to 5-2.
Ponderosa couldn't quite get it done against Rio Americano when the teams last played back in October of 2024 as they fell 17-6. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of the Raiders' Levi Bright, who rushed for 124 yards and one touchdown while picking up 7.3 yards per carry, and also picked up 41 receiving yards and one TD. Now that the Bruins know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
