The Wardlaw Academy Patriots will head out on the road to face off against the Holly Hill Academy Raiders at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Wardlaw Academy had already proven themselves in the regular season, and didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They breezed by Faith Christian at home to the tune of 42-8. The win made it back-to-back wins for Wardlaw Academy.
Jesse Cleveland got back to being his usual excellent self, as he rushed for 176 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 11.0 yards per carry. Wardlaw Academy also got a significant boost from Colt Bailey, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 85 yards.
On the other side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Wardlaw Academy's defense and their four sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Cleveland and Brody Spires who racked up four sacks between them.
Meanwhile, Holly Hill Academy entered their tilt with Laurens Academy with eight consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with nine. Holly Hill Academy blew past Laurens Academy, posting a 69-22 win at home.
Wardlaw Academy's victory bumped their record up to 8-3. As for Holly Hill Academy, their win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-1.
Wardlaw Academy took a serious blow against Holly Hill Academy when the teams last played back in September of 2021, falling 58-0. Can Wardlaw Academy avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
