East County powers will collide in Spring Valley as the Granite Hills Eagles (5-2, 1-0) visit the red-hot Mount Miguel Matadors (6-1, 2-0) in a crucial Grossmont Valley League matchup. This will be a meeting between last year's Grossmont Hills and Valley League champions.
The Eagles look to bounce back after a 52-6 defeat to No. 2 ranked Cathedral Catholic, which snapped their 13-game home winning streak. Meanwhile, the Matadors enter with momentum surging after a 48-35 victory over rival Helix – their first win in the series since 2009.
Mount Miguel's opportunistic defense has been a game-changer, with recent impact plays from Delontay Williams (interception plus touchdown reception) and Dominic Lopez, who returned a pick for six. This ball-hawking unit now faces an Eagles offense that was limited to just six points last week after putting up 39 in their previous contest.
“We just got to play Matadors football,” Mount Miguel head coach Verlain Betofe said. “It’s not about what anyone else is doing, it’s about what we’re doing.”
Despite the recent setback, Granite Hills' offense has been explosive, averaging 34.9 points per game behind the dynamic duo of sophomore quarterback Zac Benitez and senior running back Maxwell Turner. Turner is approaching history, needing just 205 yards to become the school's all-time rushing leader.
Despite the recent setback, Granite Hills' offense has been explosive, averaging 34.9 points per game behind the dynamic duo of sophomore quarterback Zac Benitez and senior running back Maxwell Turner. Turner is approaching history, needing just 205 yards to become the school's all-time rushing leader.
“He’s going to be a hand-full,” Betofe said. “We have to gang tackle, rally, and make him earn his yards.”
Mount Miguel counters with their own high-octane attack (45.6 PPG), orchestrated by strong-armed quarterback AJ Stowers, who averages an impressive 273.7 passing yards per game. The backfield tandem of KJ Shields and Jayden Hunter (three touchdowns last week) provides balance, while Stowers distributes to a talented receiving corps featuring Williams, track standout Brandon Arrington, Parris Vernon, and AJ Logan.
The teams' last encounter came in October 2017, with Granite Hills securing a 31-13 victory. However, both programs have undergone significant transformations since that matchup, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying Friday night showdown.
The teams' last encounter came in October 2017, with Granite Hills securing a 31-13 victory. However, both programs have undergone significant transformations since that matchup, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying Friday night showdown.
No comments:
Post a Comment