Escambia Academy didn’t play well in the second half in a 20-8 loss to Bessemer Academy last night, but the game provided a good tune up for the Cougars as they visit to play Lee-Scott Academy in the first round of the AISA Class 3A playoffs.

Cougars head football coach Hugh Fountain said the team made a lot of mistakes, but did a lot of good things in the game, too.

EA trailed 14-0 in the first half, and it was 20-0 by the third quarter.

The game would’ve been a different result if three touchdown opportunities by the Cougars hadn’t been called back, Fountain said.

“In the second half, we came out and they score a touchdown in the third quarter and made it 20-0,” Fountain said. “We didn’t lay well in the second half. They had a lot of depth.”

At the end of the game with the second-string in, D.D. Brooks ran 76 yards for a touchdown on the last play of the game.

Fountain said the game was a good tune up for next week.

“Bessemer Academy is a very good opponent, one of the better teams we’ve played all year,” he said. “Obviously, the game helped us get focused on what we have to do next week.”

Kick off next week in Auburn is at 7 p.m.