Tonight’s game might not mean anything for the playoffs or the rest of this season, but it means something to the fans, it means something to the parents, and above all else, it means something to the players. Tonight is the final time that many of Anderson’s stars will run out in front of a home crowd at Nelson Field.
Del Valle comes to town sporting a 1-6 record and offers a great chance for the Trojans to find themselves in the win column on senior night. The Cardinals are averaging just over 150 yards a game on offense, and have been outscored 248 to 29 on the season. Del Valle’s only win came over Akins by a score of 22-14, and they’ve been shut out 4 times in the last 5 games.
The Trojans should win handily, and it’ll be a good opportunity to get all the seniors some playing time in the second half, even those who don’t usually see much game action. In what will be a curtain call for Anderson’s star quarterback Brady Gephart, he’s looking to turn in another great game and solidify himself as a front-runner for all-district awards come season end. Leading rusher Dayden Williams will also be honored tonight, as will offensive linemen Colton Pittman and Zak Abdelbaki.
The defense also has several key starters who will be honored tonight, as it will be the final home game for many in all three levels. Along the defensive line, Zane Cooke and Jack Middleton will be recognized. A pair of linebackers will be celebrated in Jesus Soto and Simon Burns, and, in the secondary, Jett Joseph, Tomas Benitez, Adrian Popps, and Joaquin Arguello will play their final game.
The team should be fired up for senior night, and I expect them to come out hot and score early and often against the Cardinals. The Gephart to Small connection should be on point once again, and Zayden Sharp (fresh off a UNLV offer) will be looking to turn in another good performance tonight. Against a weaker team like Del Valle, Dayden Williams should also get to cap off his career with a big game at running back.
Defensively, the Trojans should shut down the underwhelming Cardinal offense handily, and I think there’s an awfully good chance Anderson pitches a shutout tonight. Look for a big game from the linebacker group and of course edge rusher Jack Middleton. The key to a shutout is limiting big plays as Del Valle just doesn’t have the firepower to maintain long drives and convert 3rd downs consistently.
Anderson should win this game in a similar fashion to how they beat Akins, but this win will be a bittersweet one. It is likely the final time these seniors will emerge victorious in a high school football game, and it’s the beginning of the end of a chapter of many kids’ lives. In the coming weeks, we’ll have spotlights on some of the impact seniors from this season so stay tuned for that! Anderson 35 Del Valle 3
