PRENTISS — Brookhaven Academy coach Ray Ishee was looking for abright spot after a disappointing, season-opening defeat for hisCougars. Ishee’s solution was to make the Cougars a run-orientedteam instead of their usual air-it-out style offense.

Brookhaven responded, piling up 269 rushing yards on 38 carriesas a team, whipping Prentiss Christian School’s Saints 35-12 andimproving to 1-1 on the young season.

It took only one play for the Cougars to register points aftertaking possession of the ball. On the opening drive of the game, BAlinebacker Wesley Taylor

intercepted a Prentiss pass and returned it 50 yards to theSaint 5 yard line.

Cougar running back T-Boy Lynch scored on BA’s first play,giving his team an early 7-0 lead with 9:44 remaining in the firstquarter. It was the first of two touchdowns for Lynch on thenight.

Brookhaven’s defense showed vast improvements in its secondgame, limiting the Saints to just 96 yards in the first half, asPrentiss saw drive after drive end in punts.

The Cougars got their second score of the night when quarterbackPrice Sessums found an opening down the sideline and darted in from16 yards out with 2:18 remaining in the first. After a missed extrapoint,

Brookhaven led 13-0.

Prentiss scored its only touchdown of the first half at the 9:23mark in the second when Gavin Daughdrill found paydirt from 24yards out. The Saints missed the extra point and trailed 13-6.

Brookhaven added its third score of the half and Lynch added hissecond rushing TD of the night on a 7 yard run with 3:12 to go inthe second. Sessums ran in the two point conversion and the Cougarstook a 21-6 lead to the locker room at the half.

“We knew after last week we had to have something to fall backon if our passing game wasn’t working,” said Sessums. “We wanted torun the ball as much as we could and help take some of the pressureoff of our receivers. It worked out good for us tonight. It’s goodto get past the loss and play a good game.”

Brookhaven’s running game picked up in the second half where itleft off in the first half, tacking on 120 more rushing yards tothe 150 gained in the first half. Sessums added his second rushingTD of the night on a 27 yard run at the 9:10 mark pushing theCougar lead to 27-6.

Prentiss got its only other score of the night with five secondremaining in the period as Corey Parish scored from three yardsout. The Cougars responded with 8:31 left in the game with aninsurance score as Sessums connected with sophomore wide receiverCorey Dickerson from 35 yards out, pushing the score to the final35-12.

Lynch led the Cougar rushing attack with 92 yards on 13 carriesand two touchdowns. Sessums gained 83 yards on seven carries andtwo touchdowns. Dickerson had three pass receptions for 74 yardsand a score.

Sessums was 4-7 on the night for 104 yards and a

touchdown.

On defense, Wesley Taylor led the Cougars with6 tackles. Kolby Byrd, Bradley Allred and Lynch added 5 stopsapiece. Dickerson and Sessums each recovered a fumble. JohnathanWhite had an interception.

Daughdrill led Prentiss with 80 yards on 8 carries.

Joseph Fails gained 59 yards on 7 carries.

Brookhaven Academy returns home Friday night as the Cougars hostBowling Green in the District 4-AA opener for both schools. Gametime is 7 p.m.