The Escambia Academy Cougars took care of business Friday night, in a 55-6 romp over Macon-East. The win made this year’s Cougars only the third team in school history with nine wins in a season.

At 9-2, EA also went undefeated at home this year, with a record of 5-0. The team’s only losses came from Monroe Academy in Monroeville and a heartbreaking loss to Fort Dale Academy where the Cougars gave up a late-game lead.

Coach Hugh Fountain called Friday night’s win a “team effort” and praised the defense, which only allowed a single, late-game touchdown.

“The defense played well,” Fountain said. “They scored a fourth-quarter touchdown, otherwise it would be a shutout.”

The Cougar defense allowed only 15 yards of total offense in the first half, when the starters were still in the game. The defense allowed 109 yards in the second half.

Fountain said the offense also played well. The running game accounted for 214 yards on 28 carries and the passing game accounted for 156 yards on four of five completions.

The Cougars opened up the scoring in the first quarter with a pass from Brett Gorum to Garrett Kirk for 31 yards. Tim Finklea scored on a 20-yard run in the first quarter and Gorum hit Scott Brantley for a 52-yard touchdown later in the same quarter.

In the second quarter, the Cougars attacked on the ground. Brice McGhee scored from a yard out and Kris Brown charged in for an 8-yard touchdown.

Cameron Murphy scored on a 12-yard run after halftime and seventh-grader Jabe Dawe completed a pass to sophomore Bradley Campbell for a 12-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.