John Paul II is 1-6 against Thomas Heyward Academy since September of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The John Paul II Golden Warrriors will challenge the Thomas Heyward Academy Rebels at 7:00 p.m. After both made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.
Having struggled with ten losses in a row dating back to last season, John Paul II finally turned things around against Hilton Head Prep on Friday. They breezed by the Dolphins on the road to the tune of 40-0. The Golden Warrriors' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
It was another big night for Bryant Jolley, who rushed for 218 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 8.4 yards per carry. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 104.6 rushing yards per game. Another player making a difference was Alan Wolf, who rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown on only 11 carries.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: John Paul II was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 342 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
John Paul II wouldn't let Hilton Head Prep keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. John Paul II can thank Dante Aiken and Lukas Yackley for forcing both of them.
Meanwhile, Thomas Heyward Academy waltzed into their contest on Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They took their match on the road with ease, bagging a 48-6 win over the Warriors. That 42 point margin sets a new team best for the Rebels this season.
Tony O'Banner was his usual excellent self, rushing for 73 yards and two touchdowns on only five carries, while also picking up 33 receiving yards. He is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last 11 games he's played dating back to last season. Kiran Boggess was another key player, throwing for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
Thomas Heyward Academy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Donovan Robinson.
John Paul II's victory ended an 11-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 1-6. As for Thomas Heyward Academy, they pushed their record up to 6-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the on the ground. John Paul II has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 155.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Thomas Heyward Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 263.8. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
John Paul II beat Thomas Heyward Academy 28-21 when the teams last played back in August of 2023. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was O'Banner, who rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown on only ten carries, and also picked up 74 receiving yards. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will John Paul II still be able to contain O'Banner? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
