Fresh off a bye week, the Trinity Prep Saints (TPS) face Cornerstone Charter Academy (CCA) on Friday, October 3rd at Hubbard Field.
The Saints hope to bounce back after their third loss of the season against Father Lopez High School on September 19th. In their 14-48 loss to the Green Wave, Trinity threw a total of four interceptions and fumbled the ball once — a recipe for disaster.
Clearly, the Saints’ turnover issue was the biggest problem area, which eventually led to their defeat. Despite their loss, they had a few bright spots on their offense. Running back Josh Shaw ran for a total of 75 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries. He had another 133 yards and a touchdown through the air. Backup running back Ari Weiss also contributed to the Saints’ rushing dominance with an additional 28 yards.
Trinity needs to get more production from its wide receivers, particularly James Ellzey and Finn Davidescu. No wideout has topped 50 yards in a game since Davidescu’s 75-yard performance in a loss to Windermere Prep on August 29th.
Ellzey is coming back from a sprained MCL and a dislocated patella. He has been out since September 11, a 26-13 win versus Harvest Community School. The wide out should definitely have a positive impact on both the pass game in general.
The squad is sitting at a .500 record, and while that would be mediocre for most schools, it is historic for the Saints. Led by freshman quarterback Joe Macau, the Saints have racked up the most wins the program has had since 2019, with 4 more games left in the season.
This past Friday, CCA beat the Geneva Knights 17-13, powered by a defense that came up with four interceptions. That same defense could pose a challenge for the Saints, but Trinity has a clear path to success: the running game. Geneva’s running back tallied 99 yards and a touchdown against CCA, which suggests that Josh Shaw and the Saints’ backfield should be able to exploit the same weakness.
Geneva entered the matchup 0–5 and fell to 0–6, but still pushed CCA (now 4–2) to the limit in a four-point game. If a winless team can hang that close to CCA, Trinity has every reason to feel confident.
Still, winning won’t be easy. Strong quarterback play from Macau will be crucial for Trinity to secure a win. Trinity should attempt to limit interceptions and primarily use the ground game to drive down the field, relying heavily on star RB Josh Shaw and his backup Ari Weiss, who could very well make it into the endzone on Friday.
Final Prediction: TPS 29, CCA 20. Shaw reaches 100 total yards and scores once, Weiss adds another touchdown and Kristian Baum gets a reception, his second of the season. The Saints will move above .500 with a statement win over CCA this Friday.
