Two dominant signal callers in Lucas Smith and Deagan Rose are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Clovis North Broncos will venture away from home to square off against the Clovis Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Clovis North has given up an average of 27.7 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Clovis North is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 41 points last Friday, they were much more limited against Central East on Thursday. They took a blow against the Bengals, falling 56-13. The Broncos were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 42-6.
Clovis North's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Tyree Sams, who picked up 132 receiving yards and one score, and Brody Kruse, who rushed for eight yards and one TD.
Even if they lost, Clovis North's defensive line still kept up the pressure with three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Ben Cazares, Cooper Haydock, and Jackson Reilly, who each picked up one sack apiece. Another thorn in Central East's side was Cazares, who picked up a sack and made ten total tackles.
Meanwhile, Clovis hadn't done well against Buchanan recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Cougars put the hurt on the Bears with a sharp 25-0 victory. The Cougars might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by 25 points or more this season.
Clovis North better keep an eye on James Curoso. He was instrumental in Clovis' win, rushing for 87 yards and four touchdowns. Those four rushing touchdowns gave Curoso a new career-high. Carlos Young did his part to keep the secondary busy, picking up 168 receiving yards.
Clovis pushed their record up to 5-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 38.3 points over those games. As for Clovis North, their loss was their first of the season and also makes their record 5-1.
Clovis North took their win against Clovis in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a conclusive 35-14 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Broncos since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
