Football Game Preview: Archmere Academy Auks vs. Howard Wildcats

Two dominant signal callers in Michael Donovan and Jameson Bryant are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Archmere Academy Auks will square off against the Howard Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Archmere Academy comes in on five and Howard on nine.

On Saturday, Archmere Academy took their game with ease, bagging a 33-6 victory over Tower Hill. With the Auks ahead 20-0 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.

Johnny Orsini had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 59 yards and two touchdowns on only seven carries, and also threw for 151 yards and a pair of TDs.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Archmere Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 290 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 160 rushing yards in five consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Howard). Their defense stepped up to hand Mount Pleasant a 56-0 shutout on Saturday. Given the Wildcats' advantage in MaxPreps' Delaware football rankings (they are ranked fourth, while the Green Knights are ranked 39th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.

Howard didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Isaiah Mccray and Chris Kanich. Howard received some extra help from Kanich, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.

Archmere Academy's record is now 7-2. As for Howard, their record now sits at 9-0.

Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Archmere Academy has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 226.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Howard struggles in that department as they've been averaging 188.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Archmere Academy was dealt a bruising 38-0 loss at the hands of Howard when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Can the Auks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.