Football Game Preview: Aquinas Institute Little Irish vs. Penfield Patriots

The Aquinas Institute Little Irish will square off against the Penfield Patriots at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Last Thursday, Aquinas Institute lost to Rush-Henrietta on the road by a 21-7 margin. The Little Irish have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Special teams was responsible for all of the team's points. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Jeff Logan, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Penfield hadn't done well against McQuaid Jesuit recently (they were 0-4 in their previous four matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Saturday. The Patriots' defense stepped up to hand the Knights a 21-0 shutout.

Penfield's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB three times. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Austin Weaver, Gavin Earl, and Ronan Boyle, who each picked up one sack apiece.

Aquinas Institute now has a losing record of 1-2. As for Penfield, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-2.

Saturday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Aquinas Institute has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 172.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Penfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging 193 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Everything came up roses for Aquinas Institute against Penfield in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, as the team secured a 35-0 win. Do the Little Irish have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Patriots turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.