The Academy of Richmond County Musketeers will take on the Aquinas Fightin' Irish at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Academy of Richmond County is headed into the contest after thoroughly thrashing Hephzibah: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Musketeers blew the Rebels out of the water with a 41-7 final score. The result was nothing new for the Musketeers, who have now won three games by 24 points or more so far this season.
Academy of Richmond County found their leader in sophomore Carson Hand, who threw for 169 yards and four TDs, and also rushed for 40 yards. Another player making a difference was Mykheal Smith, who gained 72 total yards and a touchdown.
Academy of Richmond County's run defense was locked in: Hephzibah could only muster 2.5 yards per carry. The team can thank David Dunn III for the heroic effort on defense: he. Academy of Richmond County's run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 4.88 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 5.83 on average over their last five games.
Academy of Richmond County didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Shyeem Brown and Chase Caldwell.
Meanwhile, Aquinas came up short against West Laurens on Friday and fell 49-42. Despite 187 more yards than the Raiders, the Fightin' Irish couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.
Academy of Richmond County will have to contain Jack Rhodes as he made an impact in Aquinas' last game. He threw for 381 yards and five touchdowns, and also rushed for 181 yards and one score. Christian Kates was another key player, gaining 180 total yards.
Academy of Richmond County pushed their record up to 4-5 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 47.0 points over those games. As for Aquinas, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-3.
Academy of Richmond County was taken down by Aquinas 33-0 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Will the Musketeers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
