Football Preview: Taylor Wildcats vs. Halifax Academy Knights
Taylor is 8-0 against Halifax Academy since August of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Taylor Wildcats will take on the Halifax Academy Knights at 7:00 p.m. Taylor is no doubt hoping to put an end to a four-game streak of away losses dating back to last season.
Two weeks ago, Taylor came up short against First Academy and fell 28-20.
Despite the defeat, Taylor got top-tier performance from Nikko Dozier, who rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Dozier also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, forcing a fumble and making ten total tackles.
Meanwhile, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Halifax Academy beat Atlantic 14-10 on Friday.
Jeremiah Barthelemy and La?Darius Simmons were among the main playmakers for Halifax Academy as the former rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on only seven carries and the latter threw for 168 yards and a touchdown while completing 73.3% of his passes. Barthelemy is crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 100 every time he's taken the field this season.
Halifax Academy's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Truth Hill. Another thorn in Atlantic's side was Jamaurie Russell, who picked up two sacks, forced a fumble, and forced a fumble.
Taylor now has a losing record at 1-2. As for Halifax Academy, their win bumped their record up to 3-1.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Taylor has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 165.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Halifax Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 154.3. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Taylor against Halifax Academy in their previous meeting back in August of 2021, as the team secured a 67-30 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Taylor since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
