Football Preview: Thomas Heyward Academy Rebels vs. Dorchester Academy Raiders
Thomas Heyward Academy is 9-1 against Dorchester Academy since September of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Thomas Heyward Academy Rebels will look to defend their home field against the Dorchester Academy Raiders at 7:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Thomas Heyward Academy is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They breezed by Lee Academy to the tune of 55-12. The victory was familiar territory for the Rebels who have now won seven games in a row.
Tony O'Banner was his usual excellent self, rushing for 136 yards and three touchdowns on only 12 carries. His rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his fourth straight game with at least 129 rushing yards. Another player making a difference was Kiran Boggess, who threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns on perfect 9-for-9 passing.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Dorchester Academy, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped on Friday as they easily beat Colleton Prep Academy 45-7.
It was another big night for John Whetsell, who rushed for 348 yards while picking up 8.7 yards per carry. Those 348 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of John Quattlebaum, who threw for 190 yards and a touchdown while completing 72.7% of his passes.
Dorchester Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 416 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Thomas Heyward Academy's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-1. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.3 points per game. As for Dorchester Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 8-2.
Friday's contest will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: O'Banner and Whetsell. O'Banner just won't slow down this season and has run in 22 touchdowns while averaging 154.2 rushing yards per game. Whetsell has been a dominant force too and has averaged 184.2 rushing yards per game.
Everything went Thomas Heyward Academy's way against Dorchester Academy in their previous meeting back in September of 2023, as Thomas Heyward Academy made off with a 34-8 win. Will Thomas Heyward Academy repeat their success, or does Dorchester Academy have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
