Football Preview: Davidson Academy Bears vs. Pope John Paul II Knights
The Davidson Academy Bears will be staying on the road on Friday to face off against the Pope John Paul II Knights at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Davidson Academy's defense heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They blew past St. George's, posting a 42-0 win on the road. That 42 point margin sets a new team best for the Bears this season.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Davidson Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 231 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in November of 2023.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Davidson Academy's defense and their seven sacks. In that department, Wes Harper was the leader with two. He also set a new season high mark in receiving yards with 82.
Meanwhile, Pope John Paul II won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by Goodpasture Christian 27-26. Given the Knights' advantage in MaxPreps' Tennessee football rankings (they are ranked 92nd, while the Cougars are ranked 208th), the result on Friday wasn't entirely unexpected.
Hudson Curlee was nothing short of spectacular: he picked up 139 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Jackson Vonderharr got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Davidson Academy now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Pope John Paul II, their victory ended a five-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 2-3.
Friday's contest might be decided in the trenches. Davidson Academy has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 149.6 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Pope John Paul II, though, as they've been averaging only 93. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Davidson Academy took their win against Pope John Paul II in their previous meeting back in September of 2023 by a conclusive 36-15. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Pope John Paul II's Elijah Robb, who rushed for 215 yards and a touchdown. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Davidson Academy to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
