After a crushing 61-13 loss to the Sunrise Mountain Mustangs, Peoria football takes a week off from region play to face the St. Mary’s Knights.

This will be the Panthers’ senior night, as they look to get back on track with the regular season ending Oct. 27.

Peoria’s offense has continued to be a run-first system behind unior Juwaun Price and senior Sonatane Zabala. The Panthers running backs have combined for 21 rushing touchdowns and have 1,459 rushing yards.

“It has brought us closer and together as a team,” Zabala said. “I think it’s a complete duo, and we use it to the max.”

The duo also returns kickoffs and have returned five for touchdowns. Overall this tandem has accounted for 28 touchdowns.

“I think it’s because we work really hard every practice,” Price said. “Sonny is always hyping me up, and we both run and block hard.”

Peoria coach William Babb said his team will get back to what they do this upcoming Friday against St. Mary’s (1-7).

“It’s the fundamentals for us, blocking and tackling,” Babb said. “We will go back and do those things.”

The Sunrise Mountain game saw Peoria (5-3) score early but fall quickly behind heading into halftime down 33-7. Sunrise’s defense stopped Peoria’s successful offense, only giving up one passing touchdown. Zabala returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

“They have done a great job for us,” Babb said. “Hopefully they will do a great job for us the rest of the way, and we will see how long this thing will go.”

Price and Zabala have taken bits and pieces of each other's game as the season has developed.

“If he’s going hard, I’m going hard,” Zabala said. “He’s my boy that brings me up and I’m his.”