The David Emanuel Academy Eagles entered the GIAA playoffs as the No. 9 seed in a field of 10 teams, setting up a first-round road trip to Athens to face No. 8 Monsignor Donovan Catholic on October 31.
Monsignor Donovan opened the game with an eight-play drive before punting, and on that punt, DEA struck first on a Sailor Powell returned it 78 yards for a touchdown to give the Eagles early momentum. After a stretch of turnovers and punts by both teams, the Eagles extended their lead on a 27-yard touchdown run by Tucker Free.
DEA’s offense began to roll from there, adding two more scores, a 32-yard run by Powell and a 29-yard touchdown reception by Hudson Starley, to take control of the game. Monsignor Donovan finally got on the board late in the second quarter with a 15-yard touchdown pass, but DEA led 32–8 at halftime.
The Eagles picked up right where they left off after the break. Powell punched in another score on a short run early in the third quarter to make it 40–8. After a quick response from Donovan on a 40-yard run, DEA’s defense tightened up and the offense finished strong. Powell added another touchdown, this time from 22 yards out, before quarterback Richard Braddy connected with Hudson Starley for a 40-yard score to seal the 50–14 victory.
DEA finished with 359 yards of total offense, including 290 rushing yards. Powell led the way with 178 yards on 19 carries and three touchdowns.
Powell was named Most Valuable Player, Co-Defensive Player of the Game, and Special Teams Player of the Game. Hudson Starley earned Offensive Player of the Game and shared Co-Defensive Player of the Game honors. Paxton Dixon, Cason Sapp, and Riley Phillips were named Lineman of the Game, and Eli Way received Practice Player of the Week.
Coach T.C. Guyer praised his team’s effort following the win:
“I was pleased with our effort tonight. We faced a lot of adversity at the end of the season, losing three straight games, but we had a good week of practice and were able to go on the road and dominate a good opponent on their home field. We had a game plan in mind, and we executed it well. We’ll get back to work and look to surprise Sherwood.”
Eagles Eliminated by Defending Champs in Round 2
In Round 2, David Emanuel faced a familiar region opponent, the defending state champion Sherwood Christian Academy Eagles in Albany on November 7.
On a rainy night, not much went right for DEA. After both teams traded three-and-outs to start the game, Sherwood struck first with a 41-yard touchdown pass and never looked back. David Emanuel struggled to find rhythm offensively as Sherwood’s experienced squad showed why they remain the title favorites.
When the final horn sounded, DEA’s season came to a close with a 52–0 loss.
Coach Guyer reflected on the challenge and his team’s resilience:
“We knew coming in that upsetting Sherwood would be a huge task. There’s a reason they won the state championship last year and are favorites again this year. We obviously hoped to keep it closer, but when Braddy went down officially with his injury, we had to adjust our game plan.
Robert Reynolds is a capable quarterback and will be a great player for us in the future, but he’s a sophomore facing a senior-heavy team. That’s a big task for anyone. Coach Eason and Sherwood have set the standard for where everyone wants to be, and we’re still a little behind where we need to be to compete with them.
I’m proud of our effort, though. These guys faced adversity all season and continued to show up and battle. I feel for our seniors, but I’m proud of the groundwork they’ve laid for our future.”
David Emanuel Academy finishes the 2025 season with a 6–6 record and a Top-8 ranking in the final GIAA standings.
