Laurens Academy is on a four-game streak of home wins, while King Academy is on a five-game streak of away wins (dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Crusaders will square off against the Knights at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Laurens Academy knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 31 points or more in their past eight games -- so hopefully King Academy likes a good challenge.
Laurens Academy is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of South Carolina's top teams: Richard Winn Academy, who was ranked sixth at the time (Laurens Academy was ranked second). The Crusaders took down the Eagles 78-64 on Friday. The Crusaders' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Caleb Hardy
| 10/24/25 @ Richard Winn Academy | 4 |
| 10/03/25 vs Wardlaw Academy | 3 |
| 10/10/25 vs Christian Academy | 2 |
| 09/20/24 vs King Academy | 2 |
| 09/06/24 vs Oakbrook Prep | 2 |
Laurens Academy's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Caleb Hardy, who rushed for 368 yards and four scores while picking up 15.3 yards per carry, and also picked up 152 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Those four rushing touchdowns gave Hardy a new career-high. Ethan Collins was another key player, rushing for 156 yards and three TDs on only seven carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Laurens Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 613 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, King Academy was fully in charge on Friday, breezing past Newberry Academy 48-6. The result was nothing new for the Knights, who have now won seven matchups by 20 points or more so far this season.
King Academy found their leader in sophomore Joseph Morse, who rushed for 79 yards and a pair of scores on only 11 carries. Morse is also on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in each of the last five games he's played.
King Academy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Tucker McGinty, Jackson Hutto, and Luke Harvey picked up one apiece. Jacob Bussey was another major factor on D, making 13 total tackles (1.0 for loss).
Laurens Academy's victory bumped their record up to 8-1. As for King Academy, their win bumped their record up to 9-0.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Laurens Academy has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 234 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like King Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 218.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Laurens Academy suffered a grim 60-34 defeat to King Academy when the teams last played back in September. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Morse, who rushed for 375 yards and five touchdowns while picking up 17.0 yards per carry. Now that the Crusaders know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
