Thunder and Lightning ready to strike again

Coin them with any nickname.

Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside. Thunder and Lightning. Smash and Dash.

No matter what you call them, one thing is for certain — opposing teams will have to adjust to Yuba City High's dynamic backfield duo of Taylor Rowe and Raul Lozano this year.

"I just want to do better than last year — as a team and personally," said Rowe, who rumbled his way to an area-best 1,546 yards and 14 TDs last season. "Everyone expects us to be good, now we need to live up to those expectations."

Although they combined for 2,345 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground, the Honkers' top two rushers have different running styles and different temperaments. Where Rowe is quiet and humble, Lozano is vocal and brash.

"We worked our butts off in the offseason and we're still lifting now," said Lozano, who sped around defenses for 799 yards and seven TDs as a junior. "We're just trying to do what we can do, and come this Friday, we're going to put it on them."

And while Lozano prefers to do his work on the outside, Rowe is a classic workhorse, a downhill runner who averaged 140 yards and 23 carries per game last season, most of them coming between the tackles.

"I just like the contact," Rowe said. "I like going up the middle and when they call (an off tackle play), I've got a little more space to work with."

But with a wealth of talent around him at the skill positions, Rowe may not carry the load as much as he did a year ago.

"Everyone needs to get their touches because we have a lot of talent," Rowe said.