Motto helps Escambia Academy to state title berth

Row Out.

This has been a motto that Escambia Academy has embraced in the lead up to this week’s AISA Class 2A state championship game against Autauga Academy.

The Cougars are set to play at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of Troy University on Friday for a 3:30 p.m. kick off.

EA head football coach Hugh Fountain said the motto is about not waiting for the ship to come in.

“Here, what we chose to do instead is to row out and get our ship,” Fountain said. “It doesn’t matter with it being this year, we just feel like nobody is going to give you anything.

“If you really want to be successful in life and do the things you want to do, you’ve got to row out and get those things,” he said. “You’ve got to put in the time, effort and the energy to get there.”

EA senior punter and wide receiver Gary Campbell said, “Coach Fountain said the championship is like an actual ship. If it’s out there for you, you can’t wait for it come to you. You’ve got to row out and get it yourself.”

With last week’s 54-24 rout over Clarke Prep Academy in the semifinals, the Cougars punched their ticket to the title game after working and fighting hard to get there.

EA (8-4) spent its last two regular-season home games playing the top two teams in AISA in AA and Bessemer Academy, a 3A school.

The Cougars lost both, however, they played two physical-style games to only lose by a touchdown in each.

Fountain said the players have done a great job getting back to the title game.

“It’s not easy to get to that game, but these boys have done it,” he said. “I’m proud of them for doing it.”

Campbell said the team has embraced the motto and know that it takes a complete and synced effort to win the title.

“We’re all together in this and everybody’s got to do their job rowing us out there,” he said. “If one does their job too much or one side doesn’t do enough, it goes in circles.”