Palo Alto High School's 4-1 football team takes on undefeated Burlingame at Viking Stadium on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m.

The Vikings went winless a year ago. Now they carry four wins into a matchup against a Panthers squad that is 5-0 and has outscored opponents 215-29 through five games, according to the Burlingame athletics page.

The two teams met in September 2025, when Burlingame won 35-14, per MaxPreps. That loss was part of the Vikings' 0-10 season.

First-year head coach Edward Tonga has focused on culture before football, he said. Before the season opener in August, Tonga told The Paly Voice: "My first goal as a coach was to give these guys a culture shock … We need to take a couple more steps back before engaging with the teaching of football."

The results have followed. Senior quarterback Justin Fung threw six touchdown passes in a 56-14 opening win over Leigh on Aug. 27. Junior wide receiver Bronson Lindgren, a transfer from Michigan, led the team with eight touchdowns through four games, averaging over 91 receiving yards per game, according to Viking Magazine.

Paly's lone loss came Sept. 11 at Bellarmine, 38-18. The Vikings bounced back with wins over George Washington (49-12) and King's Academy (45-42), according to MaxPreps.

Burlingame's defense features senior cornerback Dylan Black, who leads the Central Coast Section with six interceptions, according to MaxPreps. Senior linebacker Reid O'Brien averages 4.8 tackles per game. Senior defensive end Bryce Cone has recorded 2.0 sacks.

On offense, senior receiver Will Armstrong leads the Panthers with 63.4 receiving yards per game and seven touchdowns. Head coach J. Philpopoulos' squad is ranked No. 14 in the CCS. Palo Alto sits at No. 22.

The Vikings' next game after Oct. 9 is Oct. 16 at San Mateo. Burlingame hosts Half Moon Bay the same night.