Football Game Preview: The Classical Academy of Sarasota Patriots vs. Saint Francis Catholic Academy Wolves

The Classical Academy of Sarasota Patriots will look to defend their home field on Friday against the Saint Francis Catholic Academy Wolves at 7:00 p.m. The Classical Academy of Sarasota has given up an average of 32.3 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

The Classical Academy of Sarasota is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They snuck past Calvary Chapel Academy with a 45-40 win. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Patriots considering their eight-point performance the game before.

A big part of The Classical Academy of Sarasota's victory came down to the chemistry between Mason Knepp and his top target Jackson Schlabach. Knepp threw for 263 yards and four touchdowns while Schlabach picked up 183 receiving yards and three scores. Knepp also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making two total tackles and defending one pass in addition to snagging an interception.

The Classical Academy of Sarasota didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Knepp, Schlabach, and Gavin McBride, who each picked up one interception apiece.

Meanwhile, Saint Francis Catholic Academy faced Lake Mary Prep in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Wolves secured a 54-48 W over the Griffins. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Wolves.

Saint Francis Catholic Academy's win came from a few key players The Classical Academy of Sarasota will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jake Long, who rushed for 141 yards and a pair of TDs on only 15 carries, and also threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns on only five passes. He is also on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in each of the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Gabe Long, who picked up 223 receiving yards and three scores.

Saint Francis Catholic Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 329 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 194 rushing yards in three consecutive matchups.

The Classical Academy of Sarasota's record is now 4-7. As for Saint Francis Catholic Academy, the win was their first on the road , bumping their record up to 5-6.