Clayton State Lakers Dominate Talladega, 24-9

ELLENWOOD, Ga. – The Clayton State Lakers won in impressive fashion Saturday with a commanding 24-9 victory over Talladega, fueled by a high-powered passing attack and a dominant defensive performance.

Quarterback Jeremiah Mallory led the way for the Lakers, completing 16 of 28 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns. Mallory consistently stretched the field and delivered big plays when the offense needed them most.

The Lakers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Mallory connected with Moxey on a 10-yard touchdown pass in the opening quarter to give Clayton State an early lead.

In the second quarter, the Lakers struck again through the air when Mallory found Jaylen Jackson for a 53-yard touchdown, extending the advantage to 14-0. Dega U capitalized on a Lakers fumble late in the half and scored to trim the deficit to 14-7 heading into halftime.

Clayton State regained momentum in the third quarter behind the leg of kicker Michael Kraskouskas, who drilled a 32-yard field goal to push the lead to 17-7.

The Lakers sealed the victory in the fourth quarter when Mallory connected with Walton on a 47-yard touchdown strike, putting the game out of reach and securing the 24-9 win.

While the offense delivered explosive plays, the Lakers defense was the story of the night. Clayton State forced three turnovers and held Talladega to just 124 total yards of offense. The defense consistently controlled the line of scrimmage and limited scoring opportunities throughout the contest.

Gerald Brown III led the defensive effort with eight tackles, helping anchor a unit that set the tone from start to finish.

With a balanced offensive attack and a suffocating defensive performance, the Lakers showcased why they will be a team to watch this season. The victory moves CSU to 3-0 on the season and provides strong momentum as Clayton State looks ahead to conference play against home state rival Gordon State.

Story and photo courtesy Clayton State Football

Westgate Christian Rolls Past Louisiana CCC 59-0

HOUSTON — Westgate Christian University turned in a dominant performance on both sides of the football Saturday, rolling past Louisiana Christian Community College 59-0 at Sheldon ISD Stadium.

The Ravens piled up more than 400 yards of offense while their defense kept LCCC off the scoreboard.

Quarterback Jared Guter led the Westgate attack, completing 9 of 12 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He was also a threat on the ground, rushing three times for 55 yards and a touchdown, including a 35-yard run.

Wide receiver Jayir Nelson was Guter’s top target, hauling in five passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Nelson averaged 23 yards per reception and had a game-long 48-yard catch. Trenton Robey added a 32-yard touchdown reception.

Westgate also found success on the ground. Zion Cornish led the Ravens with 66 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while Malakhi Darby rushed three times for 46 yards and a score. Tu’Shawn Wilson contributed 40 yards on 10 carries.

The Ravens were especially efficient through the air. Westgate quarterbacks combined to complete 14 of 17 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. The rushing attack added 207 yards and three scores.

Defensively, Westgate registered seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Tryston Oaks led the Ravens with five solo tackles while adding a tackle for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. DeWhite Evans III, Allen Sanor and TreySean Wiley also recorded sacks.

Image courtesy Westgate Athletics

Clayton State Crushes Lighthouse in Championship Rematch

ELLENWOOD, Ga. – The Clayton State Lakers opened their season with a dominant 38-0 victory over the Lighthouse College Makos, a rematch of last season’s championship game.

The Lakers struck first on their opening possession, marching 59 yards down the field before quarterback Sire Hardaway connected with Savion West on a 12-yard touchdown pass to put Clayton State ahead 7-0.

The Makos’ opening drive ended almost immediately when they fumbled the snap on their first offensive play. Kennan Burns recovered the ball for the Lakers, setting up a scoring opportunity that resulted in a Michael Kraskouskas field goal and a 10-0 advantage.

In the second quarter, Hardaway continued to lead the offense efficiently, finding DeAngeleo Walton for a 4-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 17-0. After the Lakers defense forced a turnover on downs, Clayton State capitalized again when Hardaway hit Walton for a 60-yard touchdown strike, sending the Lakers into halftime with a commanding 24-0 lead.

The Lakers defense remained relentless after the break. Defensive back Charles Gordon stepped in front of a pass and returned the interception 48 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 31-0. Clayton State would add one final score when Hardaway connected with Chad Rafe on a 43-yard touchdown pass to cap the scoring at 38-0.

Statistically, the Lakers controlled every aspect of the game. Clayton State compiled 304 total yards of offense while holding Lighthouse College to just 120 total yards. Hardaway led the offensive charge, completing 10 of 14 passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns, spreading the ball effectively among several receivers and delivering multiple explosive plays through the air.

The Lakers defense was equally impressive, forcing key turnovers, recording a defensive touchdown, and pitching a shutout. The unit consistently kept the Makos offense off balance and prevented any sustained scoring threats throughout the contest.

With the win, CSU seemed to pick up where they left off last November when it downed Lighthouse in the inaugural NSAC championship 42-28.

With a complete team performance on both sides of the ball, Clayton State begins the season 1-0 and will look to build on the momentum from an impressive opening-week victory. 

Story and photo courtesy Clayton State Football

Apprentice Opens 2026 Campaign with 27-14 Victory

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Apprentice School Builders started their 2026 campaign with a 27-14 victory over visiting Sussex County Community College Saturday afternoon at the Apprentice Athletic complex, behind three rushing touchdowns and a defense that came up with four takeaways.

Quarterback Brock Hoffman set the tone early, capping a 7-play, 53-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 6-0 in the first quarter. The Builders struck again quickly to open the second, needing just two plays to cover 15 yards after a Jabari Anderson interception set them up at the Sussex 15. Malachi Mitchell punched it in from 2 yards out to push the lead to 12-0.

Sussex County answered before halftime, riding a 10-play, 92-yard march that was capped off by a 22-yard Connor Hawkins touchdown catch from Kareem Moore to cut it to 12-7.

Apprentice answered every punch from Sussex County. Bradley Hebb bulled in from a yard out early in the third quarter to make it 20-7, and Hoffman found Malachi Madden for a 14-yard touchdown strike later in the frame to push their lead to 27-7. Hebb led all rushers with 43 yards on 14 carries, while Mitchell added 39 yards and a score of his own.

Sussex County’s Hawkins hauled in his second touchdown of the day, an 11-yard grab, with 1:50 left in the fourth to make it a two-score game, but the Builders’ defense, paced by Leslie Hines’ 12 tackles and Emmanuel Patterson’s forced fumble and seven tackles, closed the door from there, running out the final possession to seal the victory.

Apprentice leaned on a stout ground game with 132 yards and 3 touchdown, and a plus-2 turnover margin to pull away. The Builders also converted all four of their red-zone chances into touchdowns.

Story courtesy Jacob Mullins/Apprentice Athletics; photo courtesy DeMetri Washington @pixxbydk

Parity is the Big Winner in Preseason Poll

In a preseason poll of league football coaches, every school received at least one vote to win its division, and three different teams tied to win the 2026 NSAC football championship.

Defending conference champ Clayton State was the overwhelming pick to repeat as North Division winner, garnering 62.5% of the vote, with both Apprentice and SC Central receiving one vote apiece.

In the South, Westgate Christian was selected top dog by 37.5% of the coaches, with defending division winner Lighthouse sharing second place with Atlantis. Gordon State also pulled in a vote.

But in the tally for conference champion, it was crowded at the top of the leaderboard with Apprentice, Clayton State and Westgate each receiving 25%.

Daytona Beach Christian, admitted as a provisional member, is not eligible for the postseason.

Clearly, NSAC coaches think it’s a wide-open race to the November 14 title game in Metro Atlanta.

Photo by Preillumination SeTh on Unsplash