Football Preview: Canterbury Crusaders vs. Shorecrest Prep Chargers
The Canterbury Crusaders will square off against the Shorecrest Prep Chargers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are still undefeated (Canterbury has seven wins dating back to last season, while Shorecrest Prep has 17 dating back to last season).
Canterbury is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Florida's top teams: City of Life Christian Academy, who was ranked 20th in their home state at the time (Canterbury was ranked eighth). Canterbury claimed a resounding 54-12 win over City of Life Christian Academy on the road. That looming 54-12 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Crusaders yet this season.
Canterbury's win on Friday was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jordan Battle, who rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns on only ten carries, and also caught a touchdown. Battle really tore up the turf during one magnificent 70-yard run. Roman Wilder was another key player, rushing for 181 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries.
Canterbury's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Jeff Anson and Battle. Battle's rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his third straight game with at least 132 rushing yards dating back to last season. JJ Ward was another major factor on D, picking up 1.5 sacks and making five total tackles (4.0 for loss).
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Canterbury was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 381 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 265 rushing yards in seven consecutive games dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Shorecrest Prep blew past Lake Mary Prep, posting a 52-14 victory at home. The Chargers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four matchups by 38 points or more this season.
It was another big night for Nickolas Bearden, who threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes, and also rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Another player making a difference was Edward Mitchem, who rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns on only five carries.
Canterbury's win bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Shorecrest Prep, their victory was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0.
Friday's match might be decided in the on the ground. Canterbury has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 349 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Shorecrest Prep struggles in that department as they've been averaging 264.2. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
