Soccer Game Preview: Stratford Academy vs. Central Fellowship Christian Academy

The Stratford Academy Eagles will square off against the Central Fellowship Christian Academy Lancers at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Stratford Academy fought the good fight in their overtime contest against Harris County on Thursday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Tigers by a score of 2-1. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as Stratford Academy came into the game with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' Georgia soccer rankings (they are ranked 58th, while Harris County are ranked 237th).

Meanwhile, Central Fellowship Christian Academy came tearing into Friday's match with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3.5 goals), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Rams get on the board and left with a 6-0 win. The result was nothing new for Central Fellowship Christian Academy, who have now won nine contests by three goals or more so far this season.

Their offense was hitting Covenant Academy from everywhere, as five different players booted in a goal. Jackson DeFore led that balanced group of strikers and accounted for two goals all by himself.

Central Fellowship Christian Academy's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-1. Those home wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they scored 22 goals over those four games. As for Stratford Academy, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 9-3 record this season.

Stratford Academy came out on top in a nail-biter against Central Fellowship Christian Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2023, sneaking past 1-0. Will the Eagles repeat their success, or do the Lancers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.