FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: All the area's Week Seven high school football action

Despite most public schools in West, Southwest Orange County being off in Week Seven, there's still plenty of gridiron action to keep an eye on. 

Here's all of this week's high school football games happening in the area. 

Starting with the Orange Observer Game of the Week: The First Academy Royals welcome Georgia powerhouse Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High to Warden Stadium for another big test. 

Game of the Week: The First Academy (6-0) vs. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (4-2, GA)

The Royals of The First Academy will face another powerhouse program in Week Seven, as the Eagles of Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Georgia, minutes from the North Carolina border, will travel down I-75 for this Friday Night Lights clash. 

Rabun Gap enters this matchup with a 4-2 record, having lost those two games — to undefeated teams Hun High (NJ) and Baylor School (TN)— by a combined 13 points. 

Like the Royals, expect the Eagles passing game to be a big part of the approach for Rabun Gap. Led by junior quarterback Gavin Owens, the Eagles have thrown for 1,318 passing yards with 13 touchdowns on 160 attempts in five games. Owens spreads the ball all around to the Rabun Gap receiving corps, with five of its receivers catching 14 or more passes and its top wideout catching 26.  

TFA will match the Eagles' passing game with a dynamic aerial attack of its own led by a stout offensive line, dual-threat QB in Salomon Georges Jr. and a pair of receivers in Evan James and Demetrice McCray that are on a record-breaking pace. 

The matchup between these two private school powers is by far the best high school football action being played in all of Central Florida this week. 

Week Seven

Friday, Oct. 4
All games start at 7 p.m. unless noted

Foundation Academy (2-3) at Eustis (0-5)

The Lions are looking to keep the momentum going after picking up a big win as they travel to winless Eustis in the hopes of moving to .500 on the season.

Junior QB Braydon Marks showed out in Foundation's Week Six win, throwing for 243 yards with three touchdown passes. Watch for Marks to find his favorite target in two-way player Steven Grecco. 

Legacy Charter (1-5) vs. Orangewood Christian (3-4)

After a tough road loss last week, Legacy Charter is back at home hosting the Rams of Orangewood Christian in Week Seven. The Eagles, led by QB/LB Jake Threadgill, will look to get its offense going through a balanced attack, rushing the ball 57 times and throwing it 75.

On defense, however, it's no secret what the Rams will try to do with the ball in its hands, given they are averaging 5.5 yards a carry. Orangewood has multiple runners that will look to give the Legacy defense some trouble and on the season the Rams have rushed for 930 yards with 14 TDs.

Windermere Prep (1-3) at First Academy, Leesburg (2-4)

The Lakers will look to bounce back from a tough home loss in Week Six, as they travel to Leesburg to face the 2-4 First Academy Eagles. 

Saturday, Oct. 5

Ocoee (4-2) vs. Hudson (2-4)
Kickoff set for noon

As the only public school from the West Orange and Southwest Orange County area playing in Week Seven, the Ocoee Knights host Hudson High for a Saturday noon kickoff. The Knights will look to win their third consecutive game after handling district foe West Port High on Monday, Sept. 30, and keeping their district title hopes alive. 

Keep an eye out for the suffocating and aggressive Knights defense led by LB Michael McClenton and ATH Joshua Guerrier to take advantage of a balanced Cobras offense, that has thrown seven interceptions this season.