With a convincing 42-14 victory over Gustine, Denair High School’s football team is now 5-1 for the season and 2-0 in Southern League play, and will host Le Grand (4-1, 2-0) in key SL matchup this Friday in its annual homecoming game at Jack Lytton Stadium.

Kickoff is slated for 7:15 p.m.

This week’s matchup with Le Grand – a 21-14 winner over Waterford on Friday – marks the start of a tough two-week stretch for the Coyotes, who will follow up their homecoming game with a lengthy trip to Mariposa.

A win for Denair over Le Grand and win by Mariposa against 1-5 Delhi would mean their Oct. 10 encounter would be for first place in the conference.

“I think we’re continuing to improve each week,” said head coach Anthony Armas. “We continue to limit our mistakes and take care of the football.”

Limiting miscues and hanging onto the ball are key ingredients to success in any league, at any level. So is being able to run the ball, something Denair does as well as anybody in the Sac-Joaquin Section. 

Against Gustine, Bryson Salazar carried the ball five times for 131 yards and three touchdowns – he also returned a kickoff for his fourth TD of the night – while teammate Degan Butler had eight rushing attempts for 89 yards and score. Connor Hart, the third member of the Coyotes’ vaunted rushing attack, chipped in with 16 yards on two tries. All told, they combined for 236 yards on 15 carries – an average of nearly 16 yards per tote.

Quarterback Derek Potter completed just one pass Friday, but he made it count, connecting with Harlan Brown on a 42-yard score with seconds left in the first half. 

Salazar’s 68-yard burst in the third quarter made it 35-0, triggering the running clock.