Football Recap: Ocala Christian's Rushing Attack Does It Again

Ocala Christian extended their winning streak to five on Friday, bumping them up to 5-2. They were the clear victors by a 50-26 margin over the First Academy Eagles. The matchup was close at halftime, but the Crusaders turned on the heat in the second half with 28 points.

It was another big night for Joshua Davis, who rushed for 234 yards and five touchdowns while picking up 7.8 yards per carry. Those five rushing touchdowns gave him a new career-high. Vincent Perrella was another key rusher, rushing for 95 yards and a pair of TDs on only nine carries.

Crusaders

Previous 5 Games

09/26/25 @ First Academy	50-26
09/19/25 vs First Coast Christian	38-22
09/12/25 vs Liberty Christian Prep	78-6
09/05/25 vs Sports Leadership & Management	84-42
08/28/25 vs St. John Lutheran	52-14

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Ocala Christian was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 435 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 215 rushing yards in 14 consecutive contests dating back to last season.

Ocala Christian's defense stepped up as well, laying out Henry Purvis. five times. The heavy lifting was done by Gio Perrella and Troy Wade, who racked up four sacks between them. Wade's rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his fifth straight game with at least 100 rushing yards.

As for First Academy, their loss was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 4-2. They were up 20-6 in the first quarter but couldn't hold on to the lead.

First Academy lost despite a true team effort on offense. The best among them was Purvis, who threw for 212 yards and three touchdowns. A healthy portion of that aerial production (89 yards to be exact) went to Rayce Teate, who also brought in a receiving touchdown.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Ocala Christian will challenge Saint Francis Catholic Academy at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Wolves' defense has only allowed 12 points per game this season, so the Crusaders' offense will have their work cut out for them. As for First Academy, they will host St. John Lutheran at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Eagles will be up against the Saints' rather soft defense (which has allowed 57 points per game), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance.