The Woodcreek Timberwolves will face off against the Rio Americano Raiders at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Woodcreek sitting on four straight victories and Rio Americano on three.
While Woodcreek didn't have the best season last year (they finished 5-7), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They took down Ponderosa 24-7 on Friday. Given the Timberwolves' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 125th, while the Bruins are ranked 340th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Woodcreek got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Josiah Melendez out in front who threw for 151 yards and one touchdown, and also rushed for 51 yards on only seven carries. Blake Hastings was another key rusher, rushing for 84 yards and a pair of scores.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Woodcreek proved: they limited Ponderosa to a paltry 2.1 yards per carry. The Timberwolves' ground attack was stronger, having averaged 4.9.
Meanwhile, Rio Americano hadn't done well against Vista del Lago recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Raiders were the clear victors by a 28-8 margin over the Eagles. The Raiders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three games by 20 points or more this season.
Rio Americano had a senior duo take command as Devin Pointes gained 108 total yards and two touchdowns and Ryder Trantham threw for 192 yards and two TDs. Pointes got the majority of those receiving yards when he pulled down a pass and took off for a gain of 62 yards. Raymar Griffith handled things on the ground, rushing for 94 yards.
Woodcreek's victory bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Rio Americano, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Woodcreek has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 177.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Rio Americano struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 184.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything went Woodcreek's way against Rio Americano when the teams last played back in September of 2024, as Woodcreek made off with a 27-7 win. Do the Timberwolves have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Raiders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
