Football Recap: Patrick Henry Academy Comes Up Short

Patrick Henry Academy extended their losing streak to four on Friday, dropping them down to 1-5. They were dealt a 47-14 defeat at the hands of the Thomas Heyward Academy Rebels. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Patriots of the 51-33 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in October of 2024.

Despite the defeat, Patrick Henry Academy saw an underclassman step up: freshman Kai Sobey rushed for 94 yards and one TD on only seven carries. The bulk of those rushing yards came from one huge play: a run that gained an incredible 52 yards. Rylin Brunson got in on the action as well, returning a kick for a touchdown.

Most of the squad's points came courtesy of special teams, who contributed eight in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Brunson, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.

Thomas Heyward Academy's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-3. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for they considering their 12-point performance the game before.

This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Tony O'Banner and Jace Bessinger. O'Banner rushed for 100 yards on only 12 carries while Bessinger rushed for 48 yards. Those 48 rushing yards gave Bessinger a new career-high.

We've got plenty of inter-region action coming up soon. Patrick Henry Academy will challenge rival Colleton Prep Academy at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, Thomas Heyward Academy is set to face off against their familiar foe Andrew Jackson Academy at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.