Crusaders Crush Jaguars; Punch Ticket to State Championship
The Robert Toombs Christian Academy Crusaders football team delivered a solid performance Friday night, defeating the Thomas Jefferson Academy Jaguars 51-25 in the GIAA State Playoff semifinals. The Crusaders' offense was a relentless force, racking up 419 total yards and securing their spot in the GIAA State Championship game.
The Crusaders established their dominance early, controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The offensive unit moved the chains, requiring only a few minutes before quarterback Drew Edwards powered in for the first score on a 2-yard run. Hayden Meeks nailed the first of his 5 successful PATs, putting RTCA up 7-0. The momentum continued when Jordan Brown sliced through the defense for an 8-yard touchdown run, quickly making it 14-0. Edwards then capped off the quarter's scoring spree with a 17-yard burst, giving RTCA a commanding 21-0 lead and setting a powerful tone for the evening.
The Jaguars fought back in the second period, managing to find the end zone twice on rushing plays, though they struggled with conversions, missing both PAT attempts to bring the score to 2112. The Crusaders responded to the challenge by turning to their special teams and passing game. Kicker Hayden Meeks remained clutch, calmly splitting the uprights for a crucial 37-yard field goal, settling the nerves and extending the lead to 24-12. Just before the halftime whistle, Edwards orchestrated a perfect two-minute drill, culminating in a 4-yard touchdown pass to Blake Durden, who held on tight through contact. Meeks added the final PAT, ensuring the Crusaders took a comfortable 31-12 advantage into the locker room.
Any thoughts of a Jaguars comeback continued from page
were quickly extinguished in the third quarter as the Crusaders came out with renewed intensity. Drew Edwards continued his incredible night, showing off his arm by delivering a 15yard touchdown strike to Jordan Brown, who secured his second score of the game. Even after Thomas Jefferson answered with a passing touchdown (failing the 2-point conversion), RTCA was unfazed. Edwards quickly regained the separation, once again taking the ball himself for a powerful 14-yard rushing touchdown. With Meeks’ reliable leg adding the extra point, the Crusaders held a seemingly insurmountable 45-18 lead heading into the final frame.
The fourth quarter saw the Crusaders focus on grinding down the clock, but not before Edwards added 1 last highlight play—a scorching 24-yard touchdown run, his fourth rushing TD of the evening, pushing the score to 51-18. Though the 2-point conversion failed, the damage was done. Thomas Jefferson managed 1 final score, but the game was already well in hand.
The 51-25 final score reflects a truly dominant performance by the entire RTCA squad. Quarterback Drew Edwards had a spectacular night, accounting for 6 total touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 passing). Jordan Brown was a versatile weapon, scoring both on the ground and through the air, and Hayden Meeks' perfect kicking performance, including the big field goal, provided valuable points. With 419 yards of total offense, the Crusaders are peaking at the right time. The focus now shifts entirely to the biggest game of the season as the Robert Toombs Christian Academy Crusaders prepare to compete for the GIAA State title.
That game will be held next Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Mercer University's 5-Star Stadium. This State Championship will be a rematch of last year's between RTCA and Edmund Burke Academy's Spartans. Last season the Spartans defeated RTCA 20-17 to take the title.
