By By Tim Cottrell
After squandering an opportunity to clinch the AISA Class 2A East Region title Friday night in Selma, the Escambia Academy Cougars (6-2, 6-1) will get one more shot to host a first round playoff match-up Friday night when the Abbeville Academy Generals (3-5, 3-4) come calling to Canoe.
The Generals have been an up-and-down team all season long, but Cougar head coach Heath Gibson won't let anybody overlook this game.
"We had a little letdown last week," Gibson said, referring to the Cougars' 14-12 loss to Meadowview Academy following an impressive win over Kingwood the previous week. "It was a big game, and we just couldn't get up for it. They had a good scheme, and their defense did a good job of shutting down our offense. Our offense just couldn't get anything going."
Gibson, however, won't allow that to happen this go-around.
"We're going to work on nothing but what we do best," Gibson said. "We're going to worry about Escambia Academy, not Abbeville. Sometimes you get so caught up in worrying about the other team that you don't take care of yourself, and we've got to do that."
Gibson said the Generals would bring a lot of size with them to Canoe.
"They're big and strong," he said. "They don't have a lot of speed. They've got a big tailback that runs the ball extremely hard. The biggest task is going to be stopping him."
Gibson said his main concern for the week would be stopping the Abbeville rushing attack.
"Their power game is my biggest worry," he said. "They're able to move the ball. If you can't get them to turn the ball over and stop their drives it's going to be hard to stop them. I feel like offensively we can score some points."
The Cougars will host the Generals Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Canoe.