Brookhaven Academy quarterback Price Sessums made one statementoutside the locker room prior to Friday night’s District 4-AAcontest against Centreville Academy: “Let’s get serious; it’s timeto play football.”

Sessums lived up to his word, gaining 302 all-purpose yards andscoring three touchdowns, leading the Brookhaven Academy Cougars toa 42-19 whipping of the Tigers.

Brookhaven kept its playoff hopes alive, improving to 5-3overall and 2-2 in the district. Centreville fell to 3-5 overalland 2-2.

“We started a new season tonight,” said BA coach Ray Ishee.”We’re 1-0 right now and we have to

go undefeated to get to the playoffs.

“It was a good win tonight,” added Ishee. “We played well.”

Brookhaven wasted little time putting points on the board. Ontheir first possession, the Cougars marched 68 yards in 7 plays,capped off by Keith Franklin’s 11 yard run with 8:13 left in thefirst quarter.

Corey Dickerson added the first of his 6 PATs on the

night, giving the hosts an early 7-0 lead.

Centreville tied things up at the 2:35 mark in the first on a36-yard pass from Josh Laneheart to Jeffery Delee.

It took Brookhaven just 13 seconds to respond to the score asSessums busted out with a 62-yard run at the 2:22 mark, giving theCougars the lead for good.

Sessums added his second score of the first quarter byintercepting a Laneheart pass and returning it 55 yards for thescore as time expired. Brookhaven led 21-7.

The only scoring of the second quarter came late in the half asJason Vine scored on a 1 yard run for Centreville, closing theBrookhaven lead to 21-13 at the half.

Brookhaven added an insurance score late in the third quarter.After back to back penalties left the Cougars in a first down and33 situation at their own 29 yard line, Corey Dickerson connectedwith T-Boy Lynch for the 71 yard score.

Centreville’s final score of the night came at the 10:05 mark ofthe fourth quarter when Nick Goudeau scored from four yards out,closing the Cougar lead to 28-19.

Brookhaven sealed the game late, first on a 1 yard run

by Paul Davis at the 4:43 mark, and then on a 64 yard puntreturn by Sessums with 2:52 left.

Sessums led the Cougars with 135 yards on 13 carries and atouchdown. T-boy Lynch had 35 yards on 2 carries.

Corey Dickerson was 6 of 12 passing for 127 yards and atouchdown. Lynch was the leading receiver with 1 grab for 71 yardsand a touchdown.

Centreville was led by Jason Vine who gained 77 yards on 13attempts. Nick Goudeau finished with 72 yards on 15 carries. JoshLaneheart completed 7 of 15 pass attempts for 111 yards and atouchdown.

On defense, Chip Wells led the Cougars with 13tackles. Paul Davis finished with 11. Lynch and Wesley Taylor had 8stops apiece. Steven Covington and Sessums each had aninterception.

Brookhaven travels to Natchez Friday to face Trinity Episcopalin another District 4-AA showdown. Kick off is set for 7 p.m.