Football Preview: Westlake Academy Blacksmiths vs. Gloria Deo Academy Lions
The Westlake Academy Blacksmiths will square off against the Gloria Deo Academy Lions at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Westlake Academy is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Fort Worth THESA 50-16. The victory was familiar territory for the Blacksmiths who have now won five contests in a row.
Westlake Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 350 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 205 rushing yards in six consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Gloria Deo Academy had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 31.7 points) and they went ahead and made it seven on Saturday. They breezed by the Spartans to the tune of 61-12. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Lions considering their two-point performance the matchup before.
It was another big night for Caleb Ross, who rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns on only five carries, and also picked up 47 receiving yards. Those 163 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Kai Wallace, who rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
Gloria Deo Academy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Zach Smith and Nolan Chandler.
Westlake Academy is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven matches, which provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 36.8 points. As for Gloria Deo Academy, their win bumped their record up to 9-1.
Saturday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Westlake Academy has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 186.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Gloria Deo Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 177.1. It's looking like Saturday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
