Football Recap: Athens Academy Starts Season with Defeat on the Road + How To Watch

Athens Academy had to hit the road for their first game and it wasn't the result they were hoping for. They took a hard 52-34 fall against the Aquinas Fightin' Irish on Friday. The Spartans were not able to make up for their loss to the Fightin' Irish from their previous meeting back in November of 2024.

Despite the loss, Athens Academy still got an impressive performance from Keyon Standifer, who rushed for 106 yards and a pair of TDs, and also picked up 31 receiving yards and one score. Standifer was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 66 yards.

Aquinas' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Turner Stevenson led the charge by throwing for 348 yards and six touchdowns while completing 78.3% of his passes. The Fightin' Irish's leading receiver Jack Rhodes was Stevenson's top target yet again, picking up 228 receiving yards and three TDs.

Athens Academy didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next contest, a 28-0 victory against Savannah Country Day on the 21st. As for Aquinas, they also wasted no time getting back out on the field and have already played their next match, a 35-7 win against Bryan County on the 22nd.