FRANKLINTON, La. — Brookhaven Academy entered its final regularseason game against Bowling Green having already secured theDistrict 4-AA championship and a No. 1 seed heading into the MAISstate playoffs. For all intensive purposes, Friday night’s game wasjust a formality as the Cougars were expected to roll to an easyvictory while being able to rest key players in preparation for theplayoffs.

Someone forgot to tell Bowling Green coach Brett Beard and theBuccaneers how the game should have gone on paper. Brookhavencompletely dominated the Bucs in the first half and roared to a38-7 halftime lead, but when BA coach Herbert Davis substituted hisyounger players in the second half, Bowling Green’s senior startersroared back and cut the Brookhaven lead to 45-33 before the finalhorn sounded.

Brookhaven improves to 10-1 on the season and finishes a perfect4-0 in district play. Bowling Green fell to 3-7 overall and 1-3 indistrict play.

“I thought we played the best we’ve played all year in the firsthalf.” said Davis. “We executed well, put points on the board andour defense was tough.

“We just need to do a better job of securing the football when wehave it,” Davis noted. “We had a couple of fumbles tonight andthose could cost us down the road.”

Brookhaven took just under two minutes to put points on thescoreboard as they took the opening kickoff and marched 54 yards in5 plays before Landon Nettles scored on a 13-yard run at the 10:03mark of the first quarter. Tyler Trout added the extra point for a7-0 Brookhaven lead.

The Cougars added their second score of the night with 5:14 left inthe first as Chandler Rogers connected with Bubba Keene from 38yards out, completing a three play, 76 yard drive.

Nettles found the end zone again for Brookhaven, this time fromthree yards out, with 47 seconds left in the first quarter. Troutadded the extra point for a 21-0 Brookhaven lead.

Brookhaven got its fourth score of the night as Rogers againconnected with Keene on a 41- yard strike with 8:18 to go in thefirst half, giving the visitors a 28-0 lead. Rogers then connectedwith Will Lucas from 8 yards out at the 4:23 mark of the firsthalf. Trout added the extra point for a 35-0 lead.

Bowling Green got its first score of the night with 30 seconds leftin the half as Chris Lott connected with Seth Fauntleroy from 8yards out. Jason Milton added the extra point, cutting theBrookhaven lead to 35-7.

The Cougars were able to drive 46 yard in three plays on theensuing drive and allowed Trout to add a 28-yard field goal as timeexpired in the half, giving them a 38-7 halftime lead.

Brook’s only score of the second half came at the 9:36 mark of thethird quarter as C.J. Duckworth scored on a 2-yard run.

Bowling Green took advantage of Brookhaven’s substitutes in thesecond half, registering 26 second half points. Fauntleroy scoredon a 58- yard run with 3:52 left in the third to cut the Cougarlead to 45-14.

Hunter Thomas scored on an 11-yard run with 9:32 left in the gameand again with 6:16 remaining to cut the Brookhaven lead to45-27.

BG’s final score of the night came with 3 seconds remaining in thegame as Lott scored on an 80 yard run.

Rogers led the Brookhaven offense, completing 9 of his 13 passattempts for 213 yards and three touchdowns. He was interceptedonce. Nettles led the Brookhaven ground attack, rushing for 199yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns.

Bubba Keene led all receivers with 6 receptions for 188 yards andtwo scores. Sidney Chaffin added 6 receptions for 100 yards. GagePosey completed 6 of his 16 pass attempts for 103 yards with aninterception in relief of Rogers.

Lott led Bowling Green with 131 yards on 11 carries and atouchdown. Hunter Thomas added 70 yards on 18 carries with twoscores.

On defense, Duckworth led Brookhaven with 13 tackles. Alan MichaelAllred followed with 12 and Bailey Hodge and Jeff Rushing eachadded 10 in support.

Brookhaven hosts Adams County Christian School Friday night in thefirst round of the AA state playoffs. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.