The First Academy Royals will be playing at home against the Eustis Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
You can't lose the contest if you win every quarter, and that was precisely The First Academy's strategy against Duval Charter on Friday. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that The First Academy blew Duval Charter out of the water with a 63-6 final score. The win was just what The First Academy needed coming off of a 44-24 loss in their prior matchup.
The First Academy got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Adarin Robinson out in front who rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown. Robinson was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 55 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Jack Mckissock, who threw for 88 yards and three touchdowns while completing 100% of his passes.
Meanwhile, Eustis had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 23 points), and they went ahead and made it three on Thursday. They blew past Umatilla 57-0 at home. Given Eustis' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida football rankings (they are ranked 207th, while Umatilla is ranked 512th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Troy Saladin was a one-man wrecking crew for Eustis as he threw for 202 yards and four touchdowns on only ten passes, and also punched in a touchdown on the ground. Saladin is on a roll when it comes to passing touchdowns, as he's now passed for three or more in the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Lashawn Williams, who picked up 121 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Their wins bumped The First Academy to 5-2 and Eustis to 4-3.
Keep an eye on the end zone in Friday's game as both teams haven't had much trouble getting there this season. The First Academy commands a daunting offense this season, having averaged 5.4 touchdowns per game. However, it's not like Eustis struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.1 per game. With these two high-octane teams facing off on Friday, fans should be in for an exciting offensive matchup.
