Two dominant backs in Anderson Filla and Grant Statz are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Akron Rams will face off against the Haxtun Fightin' Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a five-game winning streak alive.
Akron is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Colorado's top teams: Dayspring Christian Academy, who was ranked 20th in their home state at the time (Akron was ranked sixth). Akron claimed a resounding 36-8 win over Dayspring Christian Academy on the road. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 20-0.
It was another big night for Filla, who rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.5 yards per carry. Jace Curtis also helped out as he racked up 113 rushing yards.
Meanwhile, Haxtun hadn't done well against Merino recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Haxtun took their match on the road with ease, bagging a 70-6 victory over Merino. That 64 point margin sets a new team best for the Fightin' Bulldogs this season.
Statz was his usual excellent self, rushing for 128 yards and four touchdowns on only eight carries. Zach Statz also helped out as he racked up 101 rushing yards.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Haxtun was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 336 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 153 rushing yards in ten consecutive games dating back to last season.
Haxtun wouldn't let Merino keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force three fumbles. It was truly a group effort as Brandon Nall, Corbin Andersen, and Madden Larsen picked up one apiece.
Akron's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-0. As for Haxtun, their record is now 5-1.
Akron took a serious blow against Haxtun in their previous matchup back in September of 2023, falling 44-0. Can Akron avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
