Football Game Preview: The First Academy Royals vs. Hun Raiders

The First Academy Royals will face off against the Hun Raiders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.

The First Academy is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another highly-ranked state team: The St. James Performance Academy, who was ranked first in their home state at the time (The First Academy was ranked 19th). The Royals were just a hair shy of victory on Friday and fell 41-40 to the Strivers. The Royals were up 40-22 in the third quarter but couldn't hold on to the lead.

Despite their loss, The First Academy saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Demetrice McCray, who rushed for 55 yards and three scores, and also picked up 35 receiving yards, was perhaps the best of all. BRIAN WILLIAMS was another key pass catcher, picking up 93 receiving yards and one TD.

Meanwhile, after soaring to 51 points the game before, Hun was a bit more limited in their matchup on Friday. They came up short against St. Frances Academy, falling 29-7. The contest marked the Raiders' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Even if they lost, Hun's defense still kept up the pressure with three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Jake Broggi, Luke Wafle, and Seth Clarke, who each picked up one sack apiece. Broggi was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making 13 total tackles (3.0 for loss) in addition to snagging an interception.

Hun's defeat dropped their record down to 6-3. As for The First Academy, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 4-4.