Football Game Preview: Cardinal Newman Crusaders vs. Carrollwood Day Patriots + Official Tickets

The Cardinal Newman Crusaders will take on the Carrollwood Day Patriots at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few points on average (Cardinal Newman 14.2, Carrollwood Day 11) so any points scored will be well earned.

Cardinal Newman is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They breezed past St. Petersburg Catholic to the tune of 42-13. Considering the Crusaders have won eight matchups by more than 20 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.

Jyron Hughley was his usual excellent self, rushing for 158 yards and three touchdowns on only ten carries, while also throwing for 100 yards while completing 85.7% of his passes. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 73-yard run. Janarro Sumpter was another major influence, as he rushed for 91 yards and ran in a TD.

Cardinal Newman's run defense was locked in: St. Petersburg Catholic could only muster 2.5 yards per carry. While two picked up at least six total tackles, Sumpter stood above the rest. He rushed for 91 yards and a pair of scores on only 11 carries. Cardinal Newman didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 9.1.

Meanwhile, Carrollwood Day hadn't done well against Clearwater Central Catholic recently (they were 0-5 in their previous five matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Patriots had just enough and edged out the Marauders 30-28. The Patriots' victory was nothing new given the team hasn't lost yet this season.

Carrollwood Day's win came from a few key players Cardinal Newman will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kameron Battle, who rushed for 187 yards while picking up 8.9 yards per carry. DJ WIlliams was in the mix as well, providing Carrollwood Day with one TD.

Carrollwood Day's win bumped their record up to 12-0. As for Cardinal Newman, their victory bumped their record up to 10-3.

Cardinal Newman took their win against Carrollwood Day when the teams last played back in August of 2024 by a conclusive 42-21 score. Will the Crusaders repeat their success, or do the Patriots have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.