Sanford hasn't had much luck against Mancos recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Mustangs are taking a road trip to challenge the Bluejays at 6:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Sanford sitting on three straight wins and Mancos on four.
Sanford is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They really took it to Sargent for the full four quarters, racking up a 57-6 victory. With the Mustangs ahead 43-0 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Sanford found their leader in sophomore Colton Reynolds, who rushed for 82 yards and a pair of TDs.
Sanford was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 381 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 211 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Sanford's defense made their presence known, laying out Jayce Capron four times. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece.
Meanwhile, Vail Christian kept up with Mancos until halftime on Saturday, but afterwards: not so much. The Bluejays blew past the Saints 60-38. The Bluejays might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by 20 points or more this season.
Mancos' win came from a few key players Sanford will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Michael Resner, who rushed for 166 yards and six touchdowns, and also threw for 112 yards and one TD while completing 80% of his passes. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 109.2 rushing yards per game. Jonah H Ritter was another key player, gaining 188 total yards.
Mancos didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Resner and Joshua Peterson.
Sanford's record is now 5-1. As for Mancos, their record now sits at an identical 5-1.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Sanford has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 335.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Mancos struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 255.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Sanford lost to Mancos on the road by a decisive 34-20 margin when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Can the Mustangs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
