By the Numbers
By Chris Girandola – With the big showdown between Armwood and Plant about to take place on Friday, here is a breakdown of the teams with some “by-the-numbers” data:

• Armwood and Plant both played teams in the most recent RivalsHigh 100. The Hawks beat Bishop Gorman (#5 in Rivals) by a 20-17 score in their first game of the season out in Las Vegas. The Panthers beat Bergen Catholic (#71 in Rivals) on Sept. 16 in New Jersey by a 12-7 score. Armwood allowed 316 total yards (127 passing, 189 rushing) to Bishop Gorman and compiled 237 total yards on offense (117 passing, 120 rushing). Plant allowed 234 total yards (128 passing, 106 rushing) to Bergen Catholic and compiled 354 yards (160 passing, 194 rushing).

• The combined record of Armwood’s opponents is 30-31. Bishop Gorman (9-1), Tampa Bay Tech (4-3), Sickles (4-3), and Hillsborough (6-2) are the teams with winning records on the Hawks’ schedule.

• The combined record of Plant’s opponents is 33-18. Jesuit (7-1), Hillsborough (6-2), Bergen Catholic (5-2), TBT (4-3), and Alonso (5-2) are the teams with winning records on the Panthers’ schedule.

• Armwood is giving up 5.8 ppg (46 total points). The Hawks allow 134.9 total yards per game – 58.8 yards in the air, 76.1 yards on the ground. The most in the air surrendered this season is 145 passing yards to Jefferson’s Deiondre Porter on 11-of-19 completions. The most rushing yards allowed came against Bishop Gorman, 189 combined yards with 3-star recruit Shaquille Powell registering 84 yards on 16 carries.

• Plant is allowing 11.3 ppg (79 total points). The Panthers surrender 241.4 yards per game – 127.9 yards in the air, 113.6 yards on the ground. The most in the air allowed by the Panthers this season is 276 yards to Wharton’s Chase Litton on 21-of-33 completions. (The Panthers also gave up 207 combined passing yards to Jesuit’s Tommy Eveld and Aaron Paulsen). Plant gave up a whopping 299 rushing yards to Brandon with Tyrell Garner compiling 131 on 19 carries.

• Armwood and Plant have played three common opponents this season – Brandon, Hillsborough and TBT. Armwood beat Brandon 54-6 and held the Eagles to 90 total yards with no passing yards. The Hawks gave up 172 total yards (109 rushing) to TBT in a 40-7 win. Armwood was pushed to the limits against Hillsborough in a 38-16 victory, allowing 95 yards (84 in the air). Plant beat Hillsborough 36-6 in the Panthers’ second game of the season and held the Terriers to 135 total yards (86 rushing yards). The Panthers rolled over TBT in a 36-0 victory, allowing 129 total yards (82 passing yards). Plant handled Brandon in a 59-21 win two weeks ago, but were a bit exposed in stopping the run.

• Alvin Bailey went 5-for-6 with 130 passing yards and two touchdowns and Greg Newton had 124 yards on six carries, Bailey had 76 yards on 11 carries and Wade Edwards had 75 yards on 12 carries in the win over Brandon. Bailey didn’t do have to do much in the win over TBT with 26 passing yards on 3-of-7 completions, but five runners combined for 222 yards on 30 carries with Wade Edwards leading the way with 147 yards on 13 rushes. Darryl Richardson, back from an injury, completed 6-of-15 passes for 76 passing yards in the win over Hillsborough. Matt Jones rushed for 105 yards on 27 carries as the Hawks had 180 total rushing yards.

• Three players combined for 12-of-19 passing and 153 yards in Plant’s win over Hillsborough. James Few completed 8-of-13 passing for 118 yards and three touchdowns. The Panthers had nine players combine for 142 rushing yards on 30 carries with Wesley Bullock leading the way with 47 yards on nine carries. Three players again combined for 163 passing yards on 7-of-16 completions with Few completing 6-of-12 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers didn’t have to do much on the ground, rushing for just 48 yards on 18 carries. The Panthers had their second best passing game of the season in the win over Brandon with three players combining for 288 yards on 17-of-24 completions. Few went 9-of-15 with 200 yards and three touchdowns. Seven players combined for 124 rushing yards with Bullock running for 43 yards on nine carries.

The Edge

Quarterback – Surprisingly, you could go either way with this one. Alvin Bailey probably would have been given the edge if Darryl Richardson hadn’t returned, but Callahan has alternated between the two at quarterback since Richardson’s return from an injury. Even though Bailey has a better completion rate than Richardson, Bailey is a playmaker and can play any offensive skill position, while Richardson gives the Hawks a better option behind center, due more so because of what Bailey adds to the offense. James Few took over at the helm for Plant as an unheralded quarterback, succeeding Robert Marve, Aaron Murray and Phillip Ely. The son of defensive coordinator John Few began the year slow and unsteady, but he’s sure caught fire over the past three games, throwing for more than 900 yards and nine touchdowns with just one interception. EDGE: Plant

Running Back – Matt Jones and his coach, Sean Callahan, may say the Armwood running back is still less than 100 percent healthy, the Florida-commit seems to be in the groove. Jones has rushed for over 100 yards in the past two games since returning from a knee injury on Sept. 23 against Leto. In just five games, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound back has accumulated 456 yards on 62 carries while rushing for eight touchdowns. Bailey has rushed for 405 yards on 37 carries and Wade Edwards has rushed for 401 yards on 55 carries. Plant has two speedy guys in the backfield in Antonio Crawford and Wesley Bullock, but they aren’t Jones, Bailey and Edwards. Crawford, who committed to Georgia Tech in July after being recruited as a cornerback, is the second-leading rusher with 322 yards on 31 carries behind Bullock’s 403 yards on 67 carries. EDGE: Armwood

Wide Receivers – Armwood might have two of the better athletes at this position in Bailey and Javonte Snead (South Alabama-commit), but Plant utilizes more capable receivers. Bailey (15 receptions, 263 yards) and Snead (13 receptions, 275 yards) are the only two players on Armwood to have caught 10 passes or more while five Plant players have amassed double-digit figures in receptions. Austin Aikens, a 3-star recruit, has caught 15 balls for 325 yards and four touchdowns. Wesley Bullock (16 catches, 313 yards), Alex Jackson (11 catches, 158 yards), Derek Mann (11 catches, 130 yards), and Daniel Casselli (10 catches, 129 yards) are the others who have caught 10-plus passes. If Richardson can settle in behind center, I believe the Hawks can take advantage of Bailey’s skill set in the wideout position. All things considered, I lean towards the Panthers simply because of Few’s multitude of options. EDGE: Plant