Copiah Academy face tough road tests

Published 5:00 am Thursday, August 31, 2006

With a season-opening win under their belt at home, BrookhavenAcademy hits the road Friday for a trip to Amite, La., to meet OakForest in a non-division matchup. The game kicks off at 7 p.m.

In other academy action, Copiah invades Trinity Episcopal,McComb Parklane travels to Centreville Academy and Union entertainsCalhoun Academy.

Brookhaven Academy (1-0) is coming off a 28-6 season-openingvictory over the Silliman Institute Wildcats. Coach Bo Milton’sCougars face a tough road trip to Oak Forest.

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“Oak Forest pretty much likes to run the football,” said Milton.”They have good team speed. They play a 5-2 on defense. They lostsix or seven starters.”

Oak Forest (1-0) whipped Amite School Center 33-6 last week.

Last year, Oak Forest was a 44-20 winner over Brookhaven.

Leading the Cougars to the win was senior quarterback PriceSessums who was named The DAILY LEADER’S Offensive Player of theWeek for the first week of the 2006 season.

Sessums rushed the football 14 times for 82 yards and scored twotouchdowns. He completed 2 of 7 passes for 80 yards and anotherpair of TDs to receivers Daniel Lofton and Matthew Cliburn.

Defensively, Brookhaven’s Kolby Byrd led the way with 12 tacklesand recovered a fumble.

Copiah (0-1) fell to defending AA state champSimpson by a score of 42-24 and must regroup for Trinity atNatchez.

Copiah head coach Mitch Mitchell watched Trinity on film defeatNewton County Academy 52-19 last week.

“Trinity looked good,” said Mitchell. “They have a very goodfootball team. Steven Ridley, (who already committed to LSU), isgood. They run the Notre Dame Box. Ridley can throw and run realwell. Offensively, they do a lot of different things.”

On defense, Trinity runs a 5-3.

“We have to contain Ridley the best we can,” added Mitchell. “Hemakes them go. If we slow him down, we have a chance.”

In the loss to Simpson, Copiah was directed by quarterbackDaniel Sims who rushed the football 18 times for 120 yards and apair of touchdowns. In the air, Sims completed 17 of 41 passes for217 yards and a touchdown. Jake Guess finished with 16 carries for54 yards.

The Colonel defense was led by Matthew Stewart with eighttackles. Jake Guess followed with seven stops and a fumblerecovery.

Copiah and Trinity did not play each other last year.

Parklane (1-0) came away with a 14-0 shutout ofBowling Green (La.) in last week’s season opener. Coached byveteran Charlie Newlon, the Pioneers are 1-0 on the season andtackle Centreville Academy next.

Cody Hughes led the Pioneer ground game with 112 yards on 12carries. Lee Hunt rushed 25 times for 104 yards.

Pioneer quarterback Tyler Cunningham completed 7-of-10 passesfor 81 yards, including a touchdown and an interception.

Centreville Academy (1-0) clipped Adams County Christian School13-6 last Friday.

Union (0-1) was crushed 52-0 last Friday bySylva Bay in the Saints opener. Union is under first-year headcoach John Dickerson.

Calhoun Academy had an open date last Friday to prepare for itsseason-opener with Union this week.,