By JOSH FRYE
News Sportswriter
The Bessemer Academy Rebels were never allowed to cross the 50-yard line during last Friday’s (October 29), 64-0, shutout victory by the Escambia Academy Cougars during senior night. With the win, the Cougars wrap up the 2021 regular season with an overall record of 9-1 and a region record of 3-1 as they look to the playoffs.
The Cougars scored early and often during the lopsided affair Friday night.
EA’s Brady Howell kicked scoring off for the Cougars with a 2-yard touchdown run with just under 10 minutes left to play in the first quarter. A minute later, EA quarterback Landon Sims extended the score to 14-0 after scoring on a 40-yard dash and notching in the extra point kick. With 5:32 left in the first quarter, Bubba Nettles extended EA’s lead with a 43-yard scamper for a touchdown. With 3 minutes left to play in the opening quarter, Sims scored his second touchdown of the night when he returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown. Sims’s score put the Cougars up 28-0 at the end of the first.
During the second quarter, J.J. Stevens extended the EA lead when he scored from 1 yard out. Brian Brown closed out the first half for the Cougars when he was able to wrangle in a 30-yard throw from Sims. After another Sims extra point kick, EA led, 42-0, at halftime.
During the second half, EA replaced many of the starters with members from the second-string team in order to prevent possible injuries that may hinder the team during playoffs.
Ty McCants gained the only score for the Cougars during the third quarter when he broke free and scored from 25 yards out. During the fourth quarter, Colby Sims extended the score when he powered into the endzone from 2 yards out with 10:30 left to play. Timmy Doerr closed out scoring for the Cougars when he dashed in from 6 yards out. After a successful 2-point conversion, EA closed out the 2021 season with another win as they now look to Class 2A, Region 1, number 3 ranked Edgewood for the first round of the AISA Class 2A playoffs.
Edgewood, who boasts an overall record of 5-5 and lost last Friday (October 29) to Wilcox Academy, 34-20, will travel to face the number 2 ranked Cougars on home turf this Friday, November 5. If the Cougars win against Edgewood, they will then advance to round 2 which will be a road game scheduled to be played Friday, November 12. Currently, Chambers Academy is ranked number 1 in AISA Class 2A, Region 1 and will face Wilcox, who is ranked as the number 2 team in AISA Class 2A, Region 2. In other AISA Class 2A, first-round playoff pairings, Autauga, the Region 2, number one ranked team, will face Banks, and Macon East (Region 1, number 2) will match up against Patrician (Region 2, number 3).