Steamboat Springs is 0-5 against Palisade since October of 2015 but things could change on Friday. After each having a week off, the two teams will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m.
Steamboat Springs is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Buena Vista last Saturday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Sailors were beaten by the Demons 54-15. The Sailors were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 34-7.
Meanwhile, Palisade had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 40.5 points) and they went ahead and made it three two weeks ago. They blew past the Bears, posting a 41-0 victory. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Bulldogs' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Colorado football rankings (they are ranked 37th, while the Bears are ranked 136th).
Palisade's win came from a few key players Steamboat Springs will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Branson Springer, who rushed for 16 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also threw for 92 yards and one TD on only five passes. That's the most passing yards he has posted since back in September of 2024. Adyn Cassity was another key player, rushing for 74 yards and one score.
Palisade was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 281 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 159 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Steamboat Springs' defeat dropped their record down to 4-2. As for Palisade, their win bumped their record up to 5-2.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Steamboat Springs has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 205.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Palisade struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 283.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Steamboat Springs was taken down by Palisade 50-7 when the teams last played back in October of 2024. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Sailors were down 43-0.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
