The Vanden Vikings will challenge the Rio Hondo Prep Kares at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a eight-game winning streak alive.
Vanden is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They enjoyed a cozy 28-14 victory over Pleasant Valley. That's two games straight that Vanden has won by exactly 14 points.
| 09/13/24 vs Freedom | 170.1 |
| 10/13/23 vs Wood | 169.1 |
| 12/07/24 @ Pleasant Valley | 166.7 |
| 10/18/24 vs River City | 163.2 |
| 11/30/24 vs Oakdale | 161.7 |
It was another big night for Kalani Mcleod, who threw for 462 yards and four touchdowns while completing 87.5% of his passes. What's more, he also racked up 166.7 passer rating, the most he's had since back in September. Another player making a difference was Chris Clark, who picked up 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Vanden didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Jamarion Grace and Keitaro (Kj) Davis.
Meanwhile, Rio Hondo Prep gave up the first points last Saturday, but they didn't let that get them down. They strolled past Poway with points to spare, taking the game 28-14. The score was all tied up 7-7 at the break, but the Kares were the (much) better team in the second half.
Vanden better keep an eye on Noah Penunuri. He was instrumental in Rio Hondo Prep's win, rushing for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Penunuri didn't just play on offense: he also made five total tackles and defended one pass.
Rio Hondo Prep was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 247 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 166 rushing yards in 21 consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Rio Hondo Prep pushed their record up to 13-1 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. Those victories came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 4.7 points per game. As for Vanden, their record is now 12-2.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Saturday's contest: Vanden has been excellent in the air this season, having averaged 270.7 passing yards per game. It's a different story for Rio Hondo Prep, though, as they've been averaging only 83.3 passing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant passing game? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
