Preview: High Point Central Bison vs. Atkins Camels
High Point Central has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on The Atkins Camels at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in North Carolina (High Point Central is ranked 333rd, while Atkins is ranked 332nd).
High Point Central pushed their score all the way to 32 on Friday, but even that wasn't enough to win. They fell to Ben L. Smith 38-32. Despite 143 more yards than Ben L. Smith, High Point Central couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.
The losing side was boosted by Davon Clark, who rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown on only nine carries, and also threw for 177 yards and four touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes. Clark is on a roll when it comes to solo tackles, as he's now made six or more in the last seven games he's played. Kamari Westray was in the mix too, providing High Point Central with three touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Atkins was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Friday as they fell 32-28 to Northeast Guilford. Atkins has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Kaydence Watson, who rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Elijah Elliott was another key contributor, rushing for 52 yards and a touchdown.
The losses dropped High Point Central to 0-8 and Atkins to 1-7.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground as these two are both standouts in the run game. High Point Central has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 166.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Atkins struggles in that department as they've been averaging 148.5 per game. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
High Point Central came up short against Atkins in their previous meeting back in October of 2022, falling 12-8. Can High Point Central avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
