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By: Jake Lehman and Nick Anschultz
The Class 6A Columbia High Tigers are back home this week as they play host to Akelynn’s Angels Christian Academy.
Due to the effects of Hurricane Dorian on surrounding areas, the game was moved from Friday at 7:30 p.m. to Saturday with the same kickoff time.
Squeaking By
The Tigers (2-0, 0-0) come into this game following a nail-biting 21-19 victory against the Class 8A Oakleaf Knights (1-1, 0-0) last Friday night in Orange Park.
Head coach Brian Allen said last week this wasn’t going to be an easy game for the Tigers, and that they needed to come ready to play.
Columbia QB Jordan Smith threw for 229 yards, while RBs Kylen Callum and Jaelin Brown combined for 80 yards and 3 touchdowns, according to Maxpreps.
Next man up
One of the sayings Allen has stressed since becoming head coach of the Tigers is a next-man-up mentality. Meaning, anytime a player goes down with an injury, another teammate needs to step up and fill his shoes.
This was the case for Columbia’s wide receiver group heading into last week’s game. The Tigers were without sophomore Jace Hoskey and senior Andrew Myers, leaving them thin at the position.
Stepping in to fill one of the spaces was freshman Tray Tolliver. According to Allen, he is an up-in-coming player for the Tigers.
Tolliver saw the field for the first time as a starter last Friday. Moving forward, he will play a role in the WR corps in the coming weeks due to some team injuries.
As for Myers, after being sidelined with a knee injury, he is expected to return to the field Saturday night, according to an article written by Jordan Kroeger of The Lake City Reporter.
About AA Christian Academy
Located in Winter Haven, Florida, AA Christian Academy is a K-12 private school and is beginning its first football season ever.
According to an article written by Bill Kemp of The Ledger, the Angels’ season will be an unusual one compared to other schools around the area.
For starters, the team will feature a mix of eight-12th graders. There are only 28 total players on the roster. Additionally, eighth-grader Dyvonique McWilliams takes many of their snaps at quarterback.
On top of the challenges that come with a limited, inexperienced roster, AACA has to face a schedule comprised entirely of road games in their inaugural season.
The Outlook
Akelynn’s Angels come to Columbia Saturday looking to gain some momentum. They’ve dropped their first two contests a combined 94-6.
As for Columbia, the Tigers don’t want to overlook their young opponent but do see it as an opportunity for some of their young players to get reps in. With some injuries at key positions, this is important before the schedule really picks up for the Tigers. Coach Brian Allen stressed this, as district play begins soon.
The Tigers also play some tough non-district opponents later in the season. Allen said those opponents will be very valuable if the Tigers hope to make a deep playoff run this fall.
