After two games on the road, Willow Canyon is heading back home. After each having a week off, they and the Apollo Hawks will dust off their jerseys to face off against one another at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Willow Canyon finally turned things around against Agua Fria last Friday. They strolled past the Owls with points to spare, taking the game 24-6. That 18 point margin sets a new team best for the Wildcats this season.
Willow Canyon had a senior duo take command as Roman Thuyns threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns and Tyus Dragon picked up 177 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Those 307 passing yards set a new season-high mark for Thuyns. Willow Canyon also got a significant boost from Jimmy Calvin, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 89 yards.
Meanwhile, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Apollo beat Shadow Ridge 26-21 last Friday.
Apollo had a senior duo take command as Sylus Stevenson threw for 202 yards and three touchdowns and Isaiah White picked up 106 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Apollo wouldn't let Shadow Ridge keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Deandre Crum was the leader in that area as all came courtesy of his dominant performance.
Willow Canyon's victory ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-4. As for Apollo, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Willow Canyon was taken down by Apollo 49-7 when the teams last played back in October of 2023. Thankfully for Willow Canyon, Adam Mohammed (who rushed for 118 yards and four touchdowns on only five carries, and also picked up 49 receiving yards and a touchdown) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
