GAME PREVIEWS: Ravenwood Has Favorable Matchup with Lebanon; CPA, FRA Endure Road Bouts

Ravenwood Football

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By SAM McGAW

Ravenwood takes on Lebanon Friday in a Region 3-6A affair, while Franklin Road Academy looks to build on its first win of the season and Christ Presbyterian Academy visits East Nashville.

See below for a closer look at each team’s matchup:

Lebanon (1-5, 0-3) at Ravenwood (3-3, 2-1), 7 p.m. Friday*

Ravenwood is in prime position to build momentum as the playoffs draw near.

After rattling off a 30-12 win at McGavock last week, the Raptors enter Friday with another favorable matchup against the Lebanon Blue Devils.

Prior to last week’s victory, Ravenwood went four straight games without scoring more than 14 points.

Ravenwood QB McCain Marrow
Ravenwood quarterback McCain Marrow (Photo by Deb Scally)

The offensive explosion against McGavock was keyed by quarterback McCain Marrow and wide receiver John Rall.

Rall hauled in eight catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns, while Marrow passed for 249 yards, four scores and two interceptions.

Rall enters this week with a team-high 41 receptions for 518 yards and four touchdowns. Marrow has 1,314 passing yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The duo will look to expose a Lebanon defense that allows 37.83 points per game.

Efficiency on offense will be a welcoming sight for the Raptors’ defense.

The unit has held opponents to 21 points or less in five of its six games, and two of Ravenwood’s losses were by eight points and seven points.

Lebanon averages 15.5 PPG.

Franklin Road Academy (1-5) at Lipscomb Academy (3-2), 7 p.m. Friday

The Franklin Road Academy Panthers enter Friday’s matchup at Lipscomb Academy with a little more confidence.

FRA defeated Ezell-Harding 34-7 last week for its first win of the season.

It was only the second time this fall the Panthers scored more than 10 points in a game.

FRA WR Adonis Otey
FRA WR Adonis Otey (Photo by Kindell Moore)

Watson Tansil led the attack with 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.

“We’re still fighting and we have a long way to go, as far as the season goes,” FRA head coach Bill Whittemore said. “That was kind of the first step, with it being our first district game. That was the first game that mattered, as far as setting ourselves up for the playoffs.”

It won’t be easy for the Panthers to continue their recent production against Lipscomb Academy’s stout defense.

The Mustangs allow an average of 16 points per game, and they’ve held opponents to six points or less in three contests.

“They play hard,” Whittemore said. “They are playing very physical and they get to the football really well. They always have 11 hats surrounding the ball. Even if they don’t have 11 super-talented guys, they all play sound. They make up for any mistakes they make.

They defeated Montgomery Central 34-0 last week.

Lipscomb Academy’s offense averages 21.2 points per game. However, a majority of its production came in its recent victory and its 55-34 win against Creek Wood in Week 5.

It scored 10 points or less each of its other three games.

The unit is powered by a strong rushing attack that averages 275.8 yards per game.

The Mustangs’ ability to pound the ball may spell trouble for FRA, which has struggled to stop the run all season.

“They’re a physical team that runs very hard,” Whittemore said. “Our biggest weakness is giving up big plays. A lot of that is consistent with us not getting 11 hats to the ball and taking proper angles. We have to stop the run this week. That’s the biggest key.”

Christ Presbyterian Academy (1-5, 1-1) at East Nashville (3-4, 2-1), 7 p.m. Friday*

Christ Presbyterian Academy rides a three-game losing streak into Friday’s Region 5-3A matchup against the East Nashville Eagles.

CPA, which fell 7-6 against Stratford last week, has scored seven points or less in five different games this season.

East Nashville, which is on the heels of a 38-0 win against Whites Creek, gives up an average of 19.14 PPG.

Sam McGaw is sports editor of Home Page Media Group. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SamMcGawSports.