Wayne Christian has enjoyed the comforts of home their last two games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will take on the Faith Christian Patriots at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
With a playoff game on the line, Wayne Christian rose to the challenge on Friday. They breezed by Lawrence Academy/Albemarle School at home to the tune of 70-26. The final score was a far cry from the score of their previous head-to-head, which saw the teams combine for a single point.
Shiquan Ethridge went supernova for Wayne Christian, rushing for 239 yards and four touchdowns on only 15 carries, while also picking up 58 receiving yards. Ethridge's longest rush was for an incredible 86 yards. Another player making a difference was Oliver Thomas, who threw for 149 yards and three touchdowns on only six passes.
Meanwhile, Faith Christian faced Arendell Parrott Academy in a battle between two of the state's top teams. Faith Christian was the clear victor by a 46-24 margin over Arendell Parrott Academy. 46 seems to be a good number for Faith Christian as the team scooped up a victory with the same number of points in their previous game.
Caden Hamlett continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, throwing for 269 yards and four touchdowns on only 15 passes, while also rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown. Thomas Sugg was another key contributor, gaining 66 total yards and two touchdowns.
Wayne Christian pushed their record up to 10-1 with that win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 48.4 points per game. As for Faith Christian, the victory makes it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 6-3.
Friday's match might be decided on the ground as these two are both standouts in the run game. Wayne Christian has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 255.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Faith Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 170.2 per game. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Everything came up roses for Wayne Christian against Faith Christian when the teams last played back in October as the team secured a 50-14 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Wayne Christian since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
