Preview: Berkeley Prep Buccaneers vs. Calvary Christian Warriors
Berkeley Prep is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Calvary Christian is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Berkeley Prep Buccaneers will take on the Calvary Christian Warriors at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Berkeley Prep extended their postseason success on Friday against Tampa Catholic. They strolled past the Crusaders with points to spare, taking the game 42-28. Given Berkeley Prep's advantage in MaxPreps' Florida football rankings (they are ranked 49th, while Tampa Catholic is ranked 135th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Among those leading the charge was Joseph Troupe, who rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Dallas Golden was another key contributor, gaining 89 total yards and two touchdowns.
Another reason for the win was Berkeley Prep's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. In that department, Gavin Holman was the leader with 2.5 sacks.
Meanwhile, Calvary Christian put the finishing touches on their ninth blowout victory of the season on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Clearwater 48-20 at home. With Calvary Christian ahead 29-7 at the half, the game was all but over already.
Calvary Christian's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jacob Drackett, who threw for 265 yards and four touchdowns while completing 72.2% of his passes. Drackett has been hot recently, having posted three or more passing touchdowns the last six times he's played. Another player making a difference was Zander Altieri, who rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Their wins bumped Berkeley Prep to 10-2 and Tampa Catholic to 6-6.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's match: Berkeley Prep has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 248.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Calvary Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 155 per game. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Berkeley Prep came up short against Calvary Christian in their previous matchup back in September, falling 28-21. Can Berkeley Prep avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
