After each having a week off, the Hartfield Academy Hawks and the Jackson Prep Patriots will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Jackson Prep will be up against a hot Hartfield Academy squad: the team just extended their winning streak to four. The Hawks were the clear victors by a 42-20 margin over Starkville Academy last Friday.
Ethan Elliott
| 10/24/25 @ East Rankin Academy | 163.2 |
| 09/12/25 @ Pillow Academy | 152.7 |
| 10/31/25 vs Starkville Academy | 145.1 |
| 10/17/25 @ Heritage Academy | 121 |
| 09/19/25 vs Jackson Academy | 116 |
| + 5 more games |
Ethan Elliott and Collin McIntyre were among the main playmakers for Hartfield Academy as the former threw for 150 yards and one touchdown while completing 72.7% of his passes and the latter rushed for 69 yards on only seven carries. Elliott's passing game has become a key predictor of the Hawks' success: the team is 4-1 when his passer rating is 110 or higher, but only 1-4 otherwise.
Meanwhile, Jackson Prep made easy work of Oak Forest Academy last Friday and carried off a 38-13 victory. The Patriots haven't had any issues with the Yellowjackets recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.
Jackson Prep's win came from a few key players Hartfield Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Josh Parker, who picked up 215 receiving yards and a pair of TDs. What's more, he posted two receiving touchdowns, the most he's had since back in September. Luke Essary was another key passer, throwing for 283 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 11.8 yards per attempt.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Jackson Prep's defense and their 5.5 sacks. Brogen McClsukey was especially locked on to Oak Forest Academy's QB and sacked him three times.
The victory got Hartfield Academy back to even at 5-5. As for Jackson Prep, their win bumped their record up to 7-4.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Hartfield Academy has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 210.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Jackson Prep struggles in that department as they've been averaging 164 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Hartfield Academy might still be hurting after the 40-14 defeat they got from Jackson Prep when the teams last played back in September. Can the Hawks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
