Football Game Preview: Liberty Christian Academy Heat vs. Father Capodanno Grunts

The Liberty Christian Academy Heat are taking a road trip to challenge the Father Capodanno Grunts at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Liberty Christian Academy's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last four contests.

Liberty Christian Academy is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of North Carolina's top teams: Community Christian, who was ranked ninth at the time (Liberty Christian Academy was ranked eighth). The Heat walked away with a 35-22 victory over the Cyclones on Friday.

Eddie Deptola was his usual excellent self, rushing for 90 yards and one touchdown on only 12 carries, while also throwing for 96 yards and three TDs. He also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, making two total tackles and defending one pass in addition to snagging an interception. Another player making a difference was Logan Potting, who rushed for 146 yards and one score while picking up 8.6 yards per carry.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Liberty Christian Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 240 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.

Meanwhile, Friday just wasn't the day for Father Capodanno's offense. They took a blow against Sandhills Classical Christian on Friday, falling 40-0. The Grunts have struggled against the Lions recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Liberty Christian Academy pushed their record up to 4-2 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 49.0 points over those games. As for Father Capodanno, they now have a losing record of 3-4.

Everything came up roses for Liberty Christian Academy against Father Capodanno when the teams last played back in September, as the squad secured a 35-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Heat since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.