By By Tim Cottrell
After an impressive two-game home stand, the Escambia Academy Cougars will hit the road once again to take on Coosa Valley Academy.
The Cougars (4-1. 4-0) are currently sitting pretty in first place in AISA's Class 2A East Region. Coosa Valley currently stands at 1-4 and is coming off a 48-0 loss to Shelby Academy.
Cougar coach Heath Gibson said the team would be ready for the long road trip.
"I feel like we match up pretty well with them," he said. "I feel like our power game is better than theirs. Whereas the last two weeks teams have been a little bit stronger or a little bit faster, I think this week we can operate on our base stuff."
During the first two games of the season, a 39-0 loss to Faith Academy and a 19-2 win over Taylor Road Academy, the Cougar offense struggled mightily to maintain drives and keep the defense off the field. Over the last three weeks the Cougars are averaging almost 37 points per game on offense, and the defense has maintained its dominance – especially in the second half. Gibson said the biggest difference was young players coming of age.
"A lot of new kids just didn't have a lot of experience," Gibson said. "Our offense has a lot of timing involved to it. They've all really started going in the right direction. Our kids are in great shape right now. We're just able to wear teams down in the second half."
Gibson said the Coosa Valley offense was a very basic one, but the Cougars would have to keep on their toes to stop it.
"They play power football," he said. "They line up and run right at you. They don't throw the ball real well. We've just got to stack as many as they can block and slow them down. Defensively they're pretty sound technique-wise."
The Cougars will travel to face Coosa Valley Friday night at 7:30 p.m.