For the first time this season, True North Classical Academy will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will head out to square off against the Westminster Christian Warriors at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. True North Classical Academy is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last six games.
On Friday, True North Classical Academy strolled past Columbus with points to spare, taking the game 34-15. Given the Titans' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida football rankings (they are ranked 48th, while the Explorers are ranked 130th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
True North Classical Academy can attribute much of their success to Cecil Smith, who gained 200 total yards, and Zachary Katz, who threw for 170 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
True North Classical 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 Camaul King, George Harris, and Keyon Smith picked up one apiece. Smith got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Westminster Christian never let their opponents score on Friday. They blew past Gateway Charter 42-0. The result was nothing new for the Warriors, who have now won eight games by 22 points or more so far this season.
Westminster Christian's win came from a few key players True North Classical Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Gianni Dalessio, who threw for 206 yards and two TDs while completing 86.7% of his passes. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in passer rating (166). 81 of Dalessio's passing yards were hauled in by Canyon Henry, who also brought in a receiving touchdown.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Westminster Christian, adding 16 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Kingston Henry, who ran a punt back for a touchdown. Another bright spot was a kickoff return touchdown from Britton Bayag.
One reason for the win was Westminster Christian's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Austin De Moya, Markus Ruiz, and Dominic Brown, who each picked up one sack apiece. De Moya was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making seven total tackles (2.0 for loss).
True North Classical Academy's record now sits at 6-2. As for Westminster Christian, their record is now 8-1.
Thursday's contest might be decided in the trenches. True North Classical Academy has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 194.4 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Westminster Christian, though, as they've been averaging only 67.8 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for True North Classical Academy against Westminster Christian in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 35-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Titans since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
