The Aiken Fighting Green Hornets will take on the Gray Collegiate Academy War Eagles at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Aiken has struggled recently with six losses in a row, while Gray Collegiate Academy will arrive with five straight victories.
On Friday, Aiken came up short against Midland Valley and fell 39-32. While the Fighting Green Hornets had to settle for second, they closed the game well in the third quarter, where they outscored the Mustangs 20-8.
Aiken's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Tanner Padgett, who punched in two rushing scores, and Stephan Pope, who picked up 82 receiving yards and one touchdown. Pope was no stranger to the big play, cutting upfield on a catch that went for 64 yards. Speaking of playmakers, who could forget Caleb Griffin, who went all the way with a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Brandon Poston
| 10/17/25 vs Midland Valley | 11 |
| 10/09/25 vs Brookland-Cayce | 10 |
| 10/02/25 @ North Augusta | 6 |
| 09/12/25 vs Lugoff-Elgin | 2 |
| 09/05/25 vs Hilton Head Island | 4 |
| + 2 more games |
Even if they lost, Aiken's defensive line still kept up the pressure with six sacks. Brandon Poston was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up three himself. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 5.6 total tackles per game. Aiken got some further help from Tristian Simmons: he made five total tackles (1.0 for loss) and snagged an interception which he returned for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Gray Collegiate Academy blew past South Aiken, posting a 44-7 win. The War Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four matchups by 32 points or more this season.
Gray Collegiate Academy's win came from a few key players Aiken will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Trevon Williamson, who rushed for 152 yards and a pair of scores. Another player making a difference was Xavier Wright, who threw for 238 yards and three TDs on only 17 passes.
Gray Collegiate Academy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Royce Williamson, Corey Gleaton, Jp Sweatt, and Tye Rivers picked up one apiece. Rivers also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with 24. Michael Boulware was another major factor on D, making 19 total tackles (1.0 for loss).
Aiken's loss dropped their record down to 2-6. As for Gray Collegiate Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 6-2.
