BASTROP, La. — The Copiah Academy Colonels captured theDistrict 3-AA football title Friday night after crushing thePrairie View Spartans 29-7 in their final district game of theregular season. Copiah improved to 8-1 overall and 3-1 in thedistrict.

Friday night, Copiah visits powerhouse Oak Forest (District4-AA) for the final game of regular season play. The Colonels willhost a first round game on Nov. 4 against the No. 2 team out ofDistrict 4-AA, either Oak Forest or Trinity Episcopal.

“We won the division last night,” said Copiah Academy headfootball coach Mitch Mitchell. “It was one of the things we wantedto do. We played well.

“We are excited to win the division,” added Mitchell. “We areexcited to host the playoffs.”

The Colonels dominated the host Spartans. Copiah rushed thefootball 58 times for 405 yards and passed for 16 for 421 totalyards.

By contrast, Prairie View had a negative 13 yards on 13 carriesand threw for 91 yards for 77 yards.

Jed Stevens scored the first Copiah touchdown on a one-yard run,followed by a PAT kick from Richard Henley for a 7-0 lead in thefirst quarter.

Several possessions later, Prairie View scored its only TD ofthe game on an 81-yard pass-play from Thomas Pile to Robert Pugh totie the Colonels at 7-all, following a Will Spiers PAT kick.

In the second quarter, Copiah quarterback Daniel Sims connectedto Wil Ervin on a 15-yard pass-play for a touchdown and a 13-7lead.

Sims nailed a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter to pushthe Copiah lead to 16-7 over Prairie View.

Fourth-quarter action saw the Colonels add two more TDs forinsurance as they took a 29-7 lead and win. Stevens scored from oneyard out and Scott Akin rushed 22 yards for the final TD. Henleykicked one of two PATs.

Stevens led the Colonel running game with 20 carries for 212yards. Sims picked up 55 yards on nine carries. Rushing 11 timesfor 64 yards was Jake Guess. David Brunt carried four times for 52yards. Akin finished with three rushes for 50 yards.

Brunt is the leading rusher for the Colonels but he came downwith a virus Thursday night according to Mitchell. Brunt playedmost of the game on defense.

Sims completed 3 of 9 passes for 16 yards. Ervin caught two for12 yards and Brandon Greer had one catch for five yards.

Defensively, Danny Pyles and Jake Guess ledCopiah with seven tackles apiece. Making six stops was Kent Millerand Preston Berry.