BA Cougars rout Copiah

Published 5:00 am Monday, August 31, 2009

GALLMAN – The Brookhaven Academy Cougars had not forgotten the8-6 loss they suffered in 2008 at the hands of the Copiah AcademyColonels.

Friday night, it was a revenge story. Powered by juniorquarterback Chandler Rogers who completed 14 of 25 passes for 225yards and 4 touchdowns, the Cougars handed the Colonels a tough47-12 beating before a capacity crowd.

With the win, BA improved to 2-0 on the season and Copiah fellto 1-1. This week, the Cougars travel to Riverfield (La.). TheColonels, coached by Scotty Cline, are on the road to Rocky Bayou(Fla.).

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On the night, Copiah lost 4 fumbles and was intercepted twice.They were assessed 8 penalties for 90 yards. BA lost 2 fumbles andwas penalized 5 times for 35 yards.

“We knew we had the guys who could make the plays,” saidBrookhaven Academy head coach Herbert Davis after the win. “Ouroffensive line did a great job. I hope we can build off of it.

“We got some breaks,” added Davis. “We made some big plays.”

While Davis was addressing his team after the game, a pickuptruck drove by outside the stadium with exploding fireworks comingout of the flat bed as the Cougars cheered.

The first quarter started off with two big bangs, consisting oftouchdowns by Copiah and then Brookhaven in the first minute ofplay within 10 seconds of each other.

Colonel sophomore tailback Kelton Smith took the opening kickoffand returned it 85 yards for the 6-0 lead for Copiah following amissed PAT kick at the 11:49 mark.

On the Cougars’ first play from the 35-yard line, Rogersconnected with sophomore wide receiver Christian Keene for the65-yard touchdown and tied the game at 6-all following anothermissed PAT with 11:39 left in the first quarter.

BA was red-hot and never let up on CA, scoring 2 more TDs beforethe end of the first quarter.

The next BA TD came on a botched snap by the Cougars on fourthdown punt inside the CA 20. Keene picked up the loose football andthrew to junior running back Jennings Mills for a 70-yardtouchdown. Tyler Trout kick the extra point, going 4 of 6 on thenight, at the 4:45 mark.

The third Cougar touchdown came on a 9-yard pass-play fromRogers to senior wide receiver Tripp Jolly with 3:21 left as BAtook a 20-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Rogers broke loose for a 7-yard TD runand pushed the Cougars lead to 27-6 at the 6:45 mark.

With 54 seconds remaining in the first half, Jolly caught a5-yard TD pass from Rogers and a 34-6 halftime lead.

The blitz continued as BA marched 56 yards in 10 plays to set upa 16-yard pass-play from Rogers to junior wide receiver MarkRushing for the score and a 41-6 lead over CA with 7:39 left in thethird quarter.

CA scored its second and final TD of the game at the 8:11 markin the fourth quarter on a 2-yard run over the middle by seniortailback Ben Boone. The PAT kick failed as the Colonels cut thedeficit to 41-12.

The Cougars’ last score of the game came with 1:14 left in thegame on a 14-yard burst around the left corner by Mills, pushingthe BA lead to 47-12.

CA senior quarterback Hunter Renfroe rushed the football 10times for 115 yards and complete 3 of 9 passes for 60 yards topower the offense. Boone rushed 3 times for 20 yards.

Defensively, sophomore lineman Bailey Hodge led BA with 13tackles. Jamison Powell made 9 stops. Recovering a fumble wereHodge (2), Clint Stewart and Myles Melancon. Picking off a passwere sophomore defensive backs Jeff Rushing and Will Lucas.