The West Panthers will challenge the West Jordan Jaguars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
West Jordan will be up against a hot West squad: the team just extended their winning streak to four. The Panthers blew past Taylorsville 70-6 on Friday. Given the Panthers' advantage in MaxPreps' Utah football rankings (they are ranked 17th, while the Warriors are ranked 89th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
It was another big night for Louie Hamilton, who rushed for 177 yards and five scores on only seven carries. His longest rush was for an incredible 75 yards. Kamden Lopati was another key passer, throwing for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: West was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 274 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 206 rushing yards in three consecutive matchups.
West's defense stepped up as well, laying out the QB four times. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece. Zacchaeus Maalona was another major factor on D, picking up a sack, forcing one fumble, and making five total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask West Jordan). They blew past Hillcrest, posting a 48-20 win.
West Jordan's win came from a few key players West will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Nia Ioapo, who picked up 109 receiving yards and two TDs, and also punched in one score on the ground. Those two receiving touchdowns gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Ayden Dunn, who threw for 187 yards and four touchdowns.
West Jordan didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Porter Creasy, Gauge Eaton, and Evingi (L.A.) Moala picked up one apiece. Moala is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made eight or more in each of the last five games he's played.
West's victory bumped their record up to 6-1. As for West Jordan, their win bumped their record up to 5-2.
Everything came up roses for West against West Jordan when the teams last played back in October of 2022, as the squad secured a 45-0 victory. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Jaguars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
