Two dominant s in Elijah May and Zihyon Walters are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Independence Patriots will welcome the Tempe Buffaloes at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Independence has given up an average of 46.7 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Independence is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 42 points two weeks ago, they were much more limited against Marcos de Niza on Friday. They were beaten by the Padres 54-7.
Despite the loss, Independence had strong showings from Thomas Kpakra, who rushed for 92 yards and one TD on only 12 carries, and Daniel Rodriguez, who picked up 109 receiving yards. Kpakra's longest rush was for an impressive 68 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Tempe, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They claimed a resounding 40-0 win over Moon Valley. The result was nothing new for the Buffaloes, who have now won three contests by 38 points or more so far this season.
Independence better keep an eye on Saul Mendez. He was instrumental in Tempe's win, throwing for 293 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 11.7 yards per attempt, and also punching in two rushing scores. What's more, Mendez racked up 137.2 passer rating, the most he's had since back in October of 2024. Nehemiah 'Nemo' Calvin was Mendez's top target, picking up 76 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
Tempe didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Ethan Thomas and Mark Reed. Thomas is also on a roll when it comes to defended passes, as he's now defended at least one in each of the last three games he's played.
Independence's defeat was their third straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 1-6. As for Tempe, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
