By By Chandler Myers
It was an uphill battle all night long and the Escambia Academy Cougars came out on the losing end against the Patrician Academy Saints with the scoreboard showing the final 54-16.
The first and second quarters were all Patrician with the Saints scoring on their possessions.
Cougars head coach Heath Gibson said that the Saints were more physical throughout the entire game.
The Saints’ drives took a toll on the Cougars’ defense as they repeatedly pounded the ball out on the ground.
With the Cougars (0-2) wearing down, the Patrician offense began to move the ball faster and made longer plays down the field.
Gibson said the team was never able to gain their composure and just could not keep up mentally or physically.
At halftime with the score 38-0, the Cougars walked to the locker room looking for anyway to put points on the board.
Gibson said at halftime they went to the drawing board and tried to come up with a gameplan for the offense and defense.
He added that it is hard to adjust the game plan once you have one in place, but sometimes it has to happen.
In the third quarter, things began looking up for the Cougars who were able to slow up the Saints’ offense, but still gave up a touchdown.
On the first Cougar drive, running back Kawetta Coon took a handoff and blazed his way 60 yards for a touchdown to give the Cougars their first points of the season.
Coon ran for 80 yard on five attempts and scored the touchdown and two-point conversion to make the score 46-8.
The Saints then pushed their way back down the field and scored their final touchdown to bring the score to 54-8.
Early in the fourth quarter, quarterback Jeff Price took the snap and moved around the end of the line and charged down the field. Sixty-nine yards and a sidestep of a Saint safety later and the Cougars had another touchdown.
Price led the Cougars in offensive production rushing for 110 yards on eight attempts.
When the final whistle blew the Cougars had fought their way onto the scoreboard falling 54-16.
Gibson said the Cougars did not give their best effort, but showed promise in the second half.
He added that it will be back to basics at practice to try and improve as much as possible before next week’s game.
The Cougars travel to Autauga Academy next Friday night.