Mullins, SC- Atlantic Collegiate Academy's Armada opened their 2026 football season with a commanding 29–8 road victory over Mullins on Monday night.
The Armada erased an early deficit and scored 29 unanswered points and gave a defensive performance that smothered the Auctioneers from the second quarter onward.
Mullins struck first with a 6-yard touchdown run by senior Michael Coleman. Fellow senior Anthony Campbell completed a successful two-point conversion to give the Auctioneers an early 8–0 lead.
ACA responded early in the second quarter when junior quarterback Broderick Evans connected with classmate Solomon Freshley for a 19-yard touchdown pass. Senior Travis Vattelana booted through the point after, cutting the deficit to 8-7. Moments later the momentum swung permanently to ACA when senior Cole McGuoirk scooped up a Mullins fumble and returned the recovery 40 yards for a touchdown. Another Vattelana kick sent the Armada into halftime with a 14–8 lead.
ACA's defense controlled every aspect of the game in the second half, holding Mullis to just 148 yards of total offense in the game while forcing a trip of turnovers to go with two sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Freshley delivered one of the night's biggest plays with a third-quarter sack for a safety, adding to a stat line that included eight total tackles. The ACA defensive did not allow Mullins to covert on a single third down (0-for-11) and forced three turnovers as the Armada front seven consistently collapsed the pocket and shut down the run game.
With the defense dictating the tempo, ACA's ground attack closed the door in the fourth quarter. Junior Rylan Watts' interception at the Mullins 45 set up a quick scoring drive, capped by sophomore Melvin Singleton, Jr's. 20-yard TD run. He finished the night with 69 yards rushing. Senior Semaj Wilson capped the scoring with an 8-yard TD run score to account for the final points.
Evans finished with 57 passing yards and a touchdown, while Freshley and Singleton, Jr., combined for all of ACA's receiving production.
The Armada finished with162 yards of total offense, posted nine first downs, and converted 38 percent on third down while holding Mullins scoreless over the final three quarters. Special teams were steady as well, with Vattelana going 3-for-3 on PATs and placing all four of his punts inside the 20, averaging 35.0 yards per punt. Junior Garrett Smith finished with a team-high nine tackles.
ACA moves to 1–0 with the vistory and will travel to face Marlboro County, who defeated Myrtle Beach 61-20 in its opener, on Friday, August 28.
About Atlantic Collegiate Academy: Atlantic Collegiate Academy (ACA), located in Conway, S.C., serves high school students in a safe, small and family-centered setting. Our students seek the opportunity and challenge of rigorous curriculum, high academic standards and elite athletics while also earning up to two years of college credit. ACA serves students in grades 9-12 using an honors curriculum in 9th and 10 grades with a dual enrollment curriculum in 11th and 12th grades.
Learn more about ACA by visiting our website at AtlanticCollegiate.Academy and by following us on social media on Facebook, Instagram and X.
