With some area teams preparing to play their fourth game of the season, Holbrook will take the field for just the second time this year when they host Ganado on Friday night. The Roadrunners won their season opener two weeks ago with a slim two-point margin over Chinle. After being idle last week, they will be welcoming in a Hornet team, which is now 2-1 on the season.
The Hornets were drilled in their first game by a very good Benjamin Franklin team. Since that loss they have outscored their past two opponents by a combined total of 137-14. Those two teams were Many Farms who they beat 72-0 and Pinon last week who they toppled 65-14.
Obviously Ganado can score against lesser teams. Their win over Many Farms included six defensive scores. Question will be can they score against Holbrook’s defense and if so, can Holbrook’s offense which struggled in week one, score enough points to keep pace?
Despite these two schools being within an hour of each other they haven’t met on the gridiron since the 2014 season in a game won by Holbrook 21-7. Playing at Roadrunner Stadium on Friday night might be enough for the Roadrunners to pick up their second win over the Hornets in four years.
Winslow will host Chinle on Friday night in a game which will compare them to Holbrook, as the Roadrunners beat the Wildcats by two points in week one. The Bulldogs are now 1-2 on the season. They were shut out by Blue Ridge in their first game, bounced back with a big win at Monument Valley in their second game, then dropped a 10-point decision to a 3-0 Page team last week. That 22-12 loss is the closest any team has come to Page thus far this year.
Last season Winslow won in Chinle by 40 points. Look for the Bulldogs to once again handle the Wildcats, although the margin may not be by as many points.
Snowflake bounced back from their loss to Benjamin Franklin with a 34-14 road win at Florence last week. That game was actually tied after three quarters, but Snowflake scored 20 unanswered in the fourth to push their season mark to 2-1. Playing their third home game in the first four weeks of the season, the Lobos are slated to host unbeaten Page on Friday night.
The Sand Devils have wins over two East Region teams already with victories over Payson in zero week, and a 10-point win over Winslow last week. Their third win was a lopsided affair over Florence. The Gophers are a common opponent for both Snowflake and Page. Page has the statistical advantage based on numbers, but with the game being played in Snowflake, look for the Lobos to hand Page their first set back of the season.
Joseph City evened their season mark at 1-1 with last week’s 61-40 win at Valley Union. On Friday night they will host the Mayer Wildcats who come into the contest looking for their first win of the season. Mayer was shut out 50-0 by Superior in their first outing then fell to St. David by only four points last week.
In the teams’ last meeting two years ago Joseph City prevailed 24-22.
