WOODVILLE – Faced with the most important game of their seasonthe Brookhaven Academy Cougars called on three touchdown runs bysenior fullback Adam Smith and 25 tackles by senior linebackerBlake Killingsworth to pull out a 28-20 win over the WilkinsonCountry Christian Academy Rams here Friday night. The Cougarsneeded the big win to stay in the hunt for one of the two stateplayoff berths in District 4-AA.

“We beat a fine football team tonight,’ said BA head coach RayIshee.

In the first quarter both WCCA and BA would have good drives endshort of the end zone. In the second quarter, the Rams put togethertheir first scoring drive of the game. The drive was set up by aCougar fumble on the Wilkinson 27-yard line. The Rams would usetheir ground game to drive the ball to the BA 9-yard line but aclipping penalty would move the ball back to the 24-yard line onthe next play.

Faced with the long first and goal, WCCA called on its starrunning back Stephens McVea who would tuck the ball and run to theBA 4-yard line on a busted halfback pass. On the next play AdamRyan capped the Rams 16-play drive with a 4 yard TD run around theleft end. After the McVea PAT, WCCA led 7-0 with 3:20 left in thehalf.

The next drive would be a short one as the rested Cougar offensehit the field running. Two first down runs by Ben Davis and onefrom Ryan Nix would set up the Cougars first score of the night.Adam Smith finished the 5-play with his first TD of the night, thisone from 9 yards out. Davis kicked the PAT and the score wasknotted at 7-7 with less than two minutes left until halftime.

The third quarter began with the Rams offense eating up theclock and McVea piling up his carries. The senior runner carriedthe ball 7 consecutive times on the first drive of the second half.McVea ended the 14-play drive with his first TD of the night on 4thand 1 from the BA 3-yard line. WCCA led 14-7 with 6:33 left in thethird quarter.

Once again the BA offense answered the WCCA score. The Cougarsdrive would almost stall though on a long 3rd and 12 but Davisthrew an 11 yard pass to Nix to set up 4th and 1 inside the WCCA15. On the next play Davis ran the QB keeper to the Rams 1-yardline. Smith punched through to the end zone on the next play. Davismissed the PAT and with 2:51 left in the 3rd quarter, WCCA held aslim 14-13 lead.

The Cougars defense buckled down and stopped the Rams on theirnext two drives. Sophomore linebacker Jonathan Watts set up theCougars next score when he recovered a WCCA fumble. On the ensuingdrive BA took the lead for the first time when big Adam Smithrumbled his way into the end zone from 32 yards out.

“It was a fullback dive and when I bounced outside I picked upsome good blocks,” said Smith about his run. Davis scored theconversion on a run around the right end and with 9:15 left in thegame BA led 21-14.

On the next WCCA drive the Rams would be forced to punt again bya stingy BA defense. Brookhaven got its final score of the nightwhen Nix exploded for a 61-yard touchdown run. Davis kicked the PATand with 6:23 to go the Cougars held a 28-14 lead.

WCCA wasn’t about to give up. McVea moved from running back toquarterback and drove his team down the field. The Rams would pullcloser to the Cougars when McVea threw a 25-yard TD pass to KainePace. The conversion attempt was no good and with 2:05 left theCougars led 28-20.

The Rams attempted the onside kick but Brookhaven’s Will Rushingrecovered it. The Cougars wouldn’t be able to run out the clock asa fumble gave the ball back to the Rams.

The final WCCA scoring threat would be stopped short of the endzone when sophomore John Wayne Havard intercepted the McVeapass.

Smith led the offense with 3 touchdowns and 12 rushes for 100yards. Nix had one TD and 4 carries for 81 yards. Davis ran 15times for 67 yards.

“Our defense played them tight until our offense got on trackand our offense put the game away,” said Ishee. “I was really proudof the way Blake led our defense tonight.”

Killingsworth’s name was flowing out of the public addressannouncer’s mouth like a river. The senior linebacker racked up 25tackles and 1 fumble recovery.

“I just really like to hit McVea,” Killingsworth said after thegame. Senior Chad Lagrone had a nice night on defense as heaccounted for 18 tackles.

The Cougars have a big district game this week as they hostBowling Green in the final game of the regular season Fridaynight.