Two dominant signal callers in Stanton Beverly and Tayt Snellgrove are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. After each having a week off, Frederica Academy and the Valwood Valiants will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
Valwood will challenge a team with plenty of momentum: Frederica Academy extended their winning streak to five last Friday. Frederica Academy took their contest with ease, bagging a 49-16 win over St. Andrew's. That 33 point margin sets a new team best for Frederica Academy this season.
Braxton Sykes was nothing short of spectacular: he picked up 117 receiving yards and three touchdowns, and also punched in one score on the ground. What's more, he racked up 23 rushing yards, the most he's had since back in November of 2024.
Meanwhile, Valwood was fully in charge last Friday, breezing past Brookwood 44-9. The Valiants haven't had any issues with the Warriors recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Valwood's win came from a few key players Frederica Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kamari Jackson, who rushed for 53 yards and three TDs on only five carries. Valwood also got a significant boost from Brycen Wetherington, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 89 yards.
Valwood's run defense was locked in: Brookwood could only muster 3.4 yards per carry. While four picked up at least four total tackles, Jaylan Abernathy stood above the rest. He made four total tackles and snagged an interception. Valwood's run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 4.4 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 6.9 on average over their last five games.
Frederica Academy's record is now 7-3. As for Valwood, their record now sits at 6-3.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Frederica Academy has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 183 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Valwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 163.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Frederica Academy ended up a good deal behind Valwood in their previous matchup back in August, losing 33-14. Can Frederica Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
