The Athens Academy Spartans will head out to square off against the Rabun County Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Athens Academy will be looking to extend their current eight-game winning streak.
Athens Academy barely beat Elbert County the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Spartans took their game on Friday with ease, bagging a 48-14 win over the Blue Devils. The result was nothing new for the Spartans, who have now won seven contests by 21 points or more so far this season.
A big part of Athens Academy's victory came down to the chemistry between Chap Chapman and his top target Keyon Standifer. Chapman threw for 198 yards and four touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes while Standifer picked up 73 receiving yards and a pair of TDs.
Athens Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 214 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 189 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Athens Academy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Grayson Stafford and Standifer.
Meanwhile, Rabun County came up short against Oglethorpe County last Friday and fell 28-19. The loss was the Wildcats' first of the season.
Athens Academy will have to contain Ty Truelove as he made an impact in Rabun County's last game. He rushed for 82 yards and one score, and also threw for 193 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Reid Giles was another key player, gaining 109 total yards and a touchdown.
Athens Academy's win bumped their record up to 8-1. As for Rabun County, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 7-1.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Athens Academy has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 258.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Rabun County struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 252.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Athens Academy didn't have too much breathing room in their contest against Rabun County when the teams last played back in October of 2024, but they still walked away with a 34-28 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Spartans since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
