Faith Academy football starts district, race to postseason with Holy Trinity

[box]GAMETIME
Faith Academy Flames at Temple Holy Trinity
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11
WHERE: Holy Trinity campus, 6608 W. Adams Ave. in Temple[/box]

JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE EDITOR

MARBLE FALLS — An undefeated pre-district record shows the Faith Academy football team has plenty of talent and the skills to make the playoffs.

But the Flames’ 6-0 record won’t help them if they don’t win at least two of their three Division III, District 4 games.

And that race begins at Temple Holy Trinity, 6608 W. Adams Ave. in Temple, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11.

Holy Trinity is led by Mark Mata and David Weisbrunch. The team utilizes a run-oriented offensive scheme, Roberts said.

“The kids know the district is closer, it’s there in front of us,” he said. “There are two playoff spots. We still have the possibility of a wild card. That’s our ace in the hole.”

The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools awards points to teams based on their opponents and the results of each game.

“We have the most wild-card points of any TAPPS school,” Roberts said. “We have some margin for error. But we want to host a playoff game. To do that, we need to win the district.”

The Flames enter the district race fresh off a 49-8 victory against St. Gerard of San Antonio. Roberts said St. Gerard featured taller and faster players than what his team had encountered throughout the season. But the key to the win was the Flames’ ability to eliminate big plays and not allow the Royals to build momentum.

Faith led 35-0 at the half thanks to two touchdown runs by junior Royale Brown and a pair of touchdowns from junior Hanner Shipley on a one-yard run and a 10-yard reception from senior quarterback Austin Ellis. Senior defensive end Matt Manley intercepted a pass and ran it back 13 yards for a score.

As a team, Faith rushed for 368 yards on 35 carries led by junior running back Royale Brown’s nine carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Dalton Mayberry had 13 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Heston Hand had eight total tackles, while sophomore Jacob Metcalf had six.

Roberts said the Flames worked on fundamentals leading up to the contest. He believes that propelled them to victory.

“That was something we had not been able to do a whole lot of,” he said. “We spent more time on the mental part. That lets us work on blocking and tackling, and it helped immensely. Now it’s time to slap it together.”

jfierro@thepicayune.com