The Livingston Academy Wildcats will square off against the Upperman Bees at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Livingston Academy's defense heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They really took it to Pickett County for the full four quarters, racking up a 69-0 victory. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Wildcats considering their 13-point performance the matchup before.
Kaden Weitzel had another great game (as he tends to do), rushing for 155 yards and three scores on only six carries. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 98-yard run. Logan Sells was another key player, throwing for 128 yards and three touchdowns.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Livingston Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 228 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Livingston Academy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Weitzel and Rocco Carwile. Weitzel got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Upperman humbled DeKalb County with a 41-6 victory. Given the Bees' advantage in MaxPreps' Tennessee football rankings (they are ranked 43rd, while the Tigers are ranked 178th) , the win on Friday wasn't entirely unexpected.
Livingston Academy better keep an eye on Bronzdon Chaffin. He was instrumental in Upperman's win, throwing for 161 yards and four TDs on perfect 7-for-7 passing, while also rushing for 103 yards and one score. Chaffin's passing game has become a key predictor of the Bees' success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 1-2 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Carmine Phillips, who rushed for 123 yards and one touchdown on only six carries.
Upperman has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 4-2 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 37.5 points over those games. As for Livingston Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 5-1.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Livingston Academy has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 163.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Upperman struggles in that department as they've been averaging 238.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Livingston Academy was taken down by Upperman 48-0 when the teams last played back in September of 2024. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
