EA earns home playoff berth with win

Escambia Academy’s Jabe Dawe and Louie Turner combined for four touchdowns to help lead the Cougars to a 38-8 region victory over Clarke Prep tonight for homecoming at Bachelor Field in Canoe.

Dawe went completed 6-of-13 passes for 206 yards and two scores, while Turner rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

With this victory, the second-ranked Cougars improve to 8-0 on the season and earned a home playoff berth in the first round of this year’s AISA Class 2A state playoffs.

“To get to 8-0 was good; we are proud of that,” EA head football coach Hugh Fountain said. “The area (region) is important in AISA and you get in the playoffs.

“To be able to make the playoffs and know you got home field in the first round, that’s a good feeling,” he said.

Before the postseason begins, the Cougars will face the top-ranked Autauga Academy Generals on Oct. 20 in Prattville.

“In two weeks, we’ve just got a big game ahead of us,” Fountain said. “We’ve just got to take care of business and put a good game together.”

Three of EA’s touchdowns against the Gators (1-6) occurred in the second quarter off of turnovers. The Cougars’ first TD came after a 3-yard Patrick McGhee rush with 6:12 left in the first. Turner converted the 2-point try.

Neikel Robinson recovered a fumble at the goal line and caught an interception; and Jamie Welker caught an interception, all in the second quarter.

Dawe connected with Robinson for an 85-yard touchdown pass; and Turner converted scoring runs of 2 and 41 yards to give the Cougars a big 31-0 lead.

Fountain said getting points off of the turnovers was big.

“We were playing physical, and our defense was playing well,” he said. “I told the boys when we got up 8-0, let’s just try and stretch the lead.”

Fountain said after the first half he thought the boys handled themselves well.

Dawe’s second touchdown of the night came on a70-yard pass to Fred Flavors early in the third quarter.

Fountain said Dawe, Robinson and Flavors played well, and Turner, McGhee and Jones ran the ball hard.

On the game against the Generals, Fountain said they’ve got some time to get ready for the game. The last time the two met was in the state championship last November.

“We have a lot of respect for their program, and they do a good job,” he said. “They beat us twice last year, but I don’t think that has any bearing this year.”