Football Game Preview: Salem Academy Crusaders vs. Dayton Pirates

The Salem Academy Crusaders will venture away from home to face off against the Dayton Pirates at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Salem Academy took a 30-point loss the last time they faced off against Scio, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Crusaders sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 22-20 victory over the Loggers on Friday.

Meanwhile, Dayton put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They came within six points of losing the streak, but they secured a 20-14 W against Taft.

Dayton's defense made their presence known, laying out Kol Tolan three times. In that department, Stephen Macias was the leader with two sacks. Macias is also crushing it when it comes to rushing touchdowns: he's punched in at least two every time he's taken the field this season.

Salem Academy's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-2. As for Dayton, their victory bumped their record up to 4-0.

Salem Academy suffered a grim 52-26 defeat to Dayton when the teams last played back in September of 2023. Can the Crusaders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.