For the first time this season, King's Academy will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will head out to face off against the Burlingame Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. King's Academy's defense has only allowed 5.8 points per game this season, so Burlingame's offense will have their work cut out for them.
King's Academy's defense heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Saturday. They really took it to Berean Christian for the full four quarters, racking up a 49-0 victory. Given the Knights' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 306th, while the Eagles are ranked 783rd) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Meanwhile, Burlingame was not the first on the board last Friday, but they got there more often. They had just enough and edged out Hillsdale 17-14. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Fighting Knights recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
King's Academy better keep an eye on Nick Armstrong. He was instrumental in Burlingame's win, rushing for 67 yards and one TD, while also throwing for 121 yards and one touchdown.
Burlingame didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Hillsdale to a completion percentage of just 42.3%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from four players: Will Armstrong, Ravi Krishnan, Siale Po'Oi-Unga, and Ryan Huie, who each logged one passes deflected. Burlingame wasn't nearly as limited: they posted one of 60%.
Burlingame didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Armstrong, Ciaran Baker, and Dylan Black picked up one apiece.
Burlingame now has a winning record of 3-2. As for King's Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 4-1.
King's Academy was able to grind out a solid win over Burlingame in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, winning 28-21. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Knights since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
