The Brookhaven Academy Cougars took their cleats to Clinton, Louisiana to take on the Silliman Wildcats in a non-division contest Friday night. The Cougars hung tough with the talented Wildcats until late in the fourth quarter as Silliman would pull away for a 46-20 win.

Silliman was the first to draw blood at the 7:07 mark of the first quarter with a Jack Jackson 32-yard run. The point after try was successful and the Wildcats took a 7-0 lead.

The Cougars would get on the board on a 35-yard Dawson Flowers to Cade Brown touchdown pass. Freshman kicker Corey Case nailed the PAT and the game was tied 7-7.

Silliman scored on a 20-yard TD pass from Brock Berthelot to Ben Leujeune with 39 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The PAT was blocked by Sawyer Bowlin and the Wildcats led 13-7.

At the 4:33 mark the Cougars took the lead at 14-13 on a 1-yard plunge by Gunar Brister and the successful PAT by Case.

The Wildcats would strike back quickly on a 6-yard Berthelot to Leujeune pass. Silliman would convert the 2-point conversion and lead 21-14. The Wildcats took that lead into halftime.

The Wildcats got on the board first in the second half on an 80-yard drive that culminated with a 10-yard Berthelot to Leujeune pass. The PAT failed.

The Cougars would cut into the 27-14 lead with a Corey Case 33-yard field goal.

At the 7:54 mark of the fourth quarter BA made it a one-score game with a Case 30-yard field goal. With 5:33 left in the game the Wildcats made it a 33-20 game. The Wildcats would strike again quickly with a 42-yard Berthelot run at the 3:30 mark, making the score 39-20.

Silliman wasn’t finished. With 1:22 left in the game, Leujeune scored his fourth TD of the evening on an 80-yard pick six. The PAT was good and the Wildcats had their 46-20 winning margin.

Nick Ogden led the way rushing for BA with 80 yards on 12 carries. Luke Johnston and Dawson Flowers both had 10 carries for 52 yards. Flowers was 7-for-16 passing for 95 yards, one TD and one interception. Cade Brown led in receiving with three catches for 46 yards. Cole Griffin recovered a fumble for the Cougar defense.

“I was very proud of our effort,” said BA coach Ron Rushing, “We got after them, played hard. Penalties hurt us at crucial times.”

Story by Ricky Myers